GLOBETROTTING foodies have named two Cumbrian restaurants as the best in the UK.

The Old Stamp House in Ambleside and L'Enclume in Cartmel have come in eight and tenth on the 2015 Travellers' Choice Restaurants Awards.

Based on the reviews and opinions found on TripAdvisor, the award winners were determined using an an algorithm that took into account the quantity and quality of reviews for restaurants around the world, gathered over one year.

Ryan Blackburn, the chef and owner at The Old Stamp House, said that it was 'very special' to be eighth on the list for the second year in a row.

"We are obviously delighted," he said. "It has a massive impact on business for us.

"We use [reviews] as a way to improve - that's what makes this award so special for us."

Launched in 2014, The Old Stamp House aims to offer a 'unique experience' of the food culture that Cumbria has to offer.

Mr Blackburn said that they got visitors coming from all over the world to eat at the restaurant - however, he also knows the value of the local customer.

"We are very very lucky we have some very loyal and regular customers," he said. "That was always instilled into me by my parents that you look after your locals and they will keep coming back."

L'Enclume in Cartmel, headed up by celebrity chef Simon Rogan and this year named Britain's best restaurant for the fourth year in a row, was placed tenth on the awards list.

This year is the second time that Raymond Blanc’s flagship Oxfordshire restaurant has topped the UK rankings in the Travellers’ Choice Awards for Restaurants, having previously done so in 2013.

TripAdvisor allows users to search and rate restaurants they have visited - diners score restaurants out of five, write a review and even recommend particular dishes that they enjoyed.

"With more UK restaurants in the world top ten than any other country for the second year running, the UK has again proved that it’s a heavyweight player in the world of fine dining," said TripAdvisor spokesperson, Hayley Coleman.