WENSLEYDALE cheese-makers at Hawes are celebrating a triumphant year of show successes after winning a clutch of trophies at the British Cheese Awards held at Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire.

Wensleydale Creamery’s flagship brand, Traditional Wensleydale, was judged the Best Territorial Cheese – a repeat of the firm’s success in 2002 – and named Best Traditional British Cheese and a gold award winner.

The creamery achieved a second gold award with its Coverdale brand, while Wensleydale-with-cranberries, Mature Wensleydale, Sheep’s Milk Wensleydale, Traditional Cheshire and Traditional Double Gloucester all won silver awards at the show, which attracted 774 entries from 164 British cheese producers.

It is the creamery’s third major show success in just three months.

Company chairman John Gibson said: “Following our achievements at the Nantwich International Cheese Show and the Yorkshire Cheese and Dairy Show, I am delighted at our continuing success at the British Cheese Awards which is testimony to the hard work, dedication and expertise of our workforce.”