FOUR Herefordshire businesses were honoured at the prestigious Rural Business Awards.

The awards, backed by online giant Amazon, celebrate entrepreneurial talent in rural areas.

The ceremony on October 11 saw four county businesses win prizes at the Midlands regional heat in Nottingham,

Voodoochilli Design, of Hereford, won the Best Rural Creative or Media-Based Business category while Rural Concierge, of Hereford, won Best Rural Tourism Business.

Pinstone, of Leominster, was runner-up in the Best Rural Creative or Media-Based Business and CXCS Ltd, of Lyonshall, was runner-up for Best Rural Professional Services Business.

Voodoochilli Design MD Harry O'Connor said: "The success of our business over the last 18 years is a testament to the thriving rural economy around us and we’ve loved being involved in the Rural Business Awards which celebrate such a variety of rural businesses.”

Charles Mayson, founder of professional services firm CXCS, said:"We're lucky to be based in a beautiful part of the world which has a very strong farming pedigree, but clients across the country trust us."

Catherine Linch, Pinstone’s Managing Director, commented: "The Rural Business Awards helps highlight the superb, often vital, work that is being undertaken by companies outside of the traditional industry centres and it has been a pleasure to be involved in this year’s programme.”

Rural Concierge Founder, Liz Hill, added: "It is a real honour to be considered one of the best rural businesses in the region, and to be part of such a great celebration of rural business."

Awards co-founder Anna Price said: "We were blown away with the diversity of our entries this year so winning a prize is an extraordinary achievement – hearty congratulations to all four prize winners from Herefordshire.”

Voodochilli Design and Rural Concierge will represent the region at the national finals in February 2019.