A WEST Devon farm shop has again reached the finals of the UK Farm Retail Awards from the National Farmers' Retail and Markets Association (FARMA).

Lifton Strawberry Fields Farm Shop will be competing against four other farm shops across the UK for the Own and Local Award title, which it won in 2008, as well as battling it out for the Best On-Farm Restaurant Award.

Jo Mounce, Lifton Strawberry Fields Farm Shop owner and manager, said: 'We are delighted to be FARMA Awards' finalists in two categories this year.

'Our commitment to offering customers as much of our own-grown, home-reared and home-made produce has never wavered, and with the expansion of our restaurant we can now do that on an even larger scale.

'I am really proud of everything our hard-working team here has achieved so far.'

In the stages completed so far, a detailed entry form was submitted, followed by FARMA sending in a 'mystery shopper' to the farm shop.

As a finalist, Lifton Strawberry Fields Farm Shop will be visited and assessed again in the next few months by the team of judges, comprising former award winners and farm retail peers.

FARMA secretary Rita Exner said: 'We are thrilled that Lifton Strawberry Fields is once more in the running for a FARMA Award. Here is true commitment to the unique offering of farm retail — own and local produce sold and served at the farm in beautiful surroundings.

'In this next round of judging, we will be looking in more depth at all the finalists, taking into account the customer experience as well as the retailing and management skills behind the scenes.

'Congratulations to everyone at Lifton for making it this far — it's a great achievement and I wish them all the best for the final round.'

The winners of the Own and Local Award and the Best On-Farm Restaurant Award will be announced on January 25 at Farm and More, the sector's national conference.