A TAVISTOCK bed and breakfast has won a national award for the standard of its accommodation.

April Cottage, run by Sandra and Gerry Callaghan, has been given the English Tourist Council?s silver award for outstanding achievement.

The bed and breakfast already had the council?s four diamond award, the highest level available to small, cottage-type properties, but received the new accolade after an inspection last month.

Sandra Callaghan said: ?I didn?t even know we had had an inspection. A scatty business type man turned up quite late one evening, and I was all flustered so didn?t have the chance to think about it. It was only the next morning that he revealed himself and told me he was an inspector and that we would keep the four diamonds.

?I only found out about the silver award when the letter just turned up in the post. I really am chuffed because I hadn?t put on an act, it was just my natural self.?

The award means April Cottage will now feature in the English Tourist Council?s national accommodation guide, ?Where to Stay?.