OKEHAMPTON Farmers' Market is proving a lucky omen after Inwardleigh egg producers Janet and Tim White became the latest stallholders to achieve award-winning success.

The couple, who keep 10,000 free-range birds at their 33-acre Brook Farm, beat rivals in the South West to come out tops in an NFU contest to find the best eggs in the west.

Their tray of 30 eggs was voted by DEFRA judges to be an all-round winner for shell colour, oval evenness, richness of yolks and conditions of white.

Now the proud owners of a China cockerel to mark their success, the couple are delighted at the publicity the award has brought.

'It makes you feel really good and it's a reward for all the hard work you do,' said Mrs White. 'Keeping 10,000 hens is not easy but when you get to the stage of winning competitions in which many other quality egg producers are taking part it makes it all seem worthwhile.'

The Whites, who moved from Wiltshire to take on Brook Farm as a going concern four years ago, spent a long time building the business and have since been registered with the RSPCA's Freedom Foods organisation, for their tip-top welfare conditions.

They supply their eggs to many local outlets and supermarkets through W J Watkins (Freshlay) of Holsworthy Beacon and sell them through their farm shop and Okehampton Farmers' Market.

The couple are the second stallholders at the farmers' market to achieve award status, with Pammy and Ritchie Riggs, of Providence Farm, Holsworthy winning the National Soil Association Award for their organic guinea fowl and ducks.

Market organiser Derek Godfrey-Brown said the awards showed the high quality of produce which was on offer each month.

The next farmers' market will be on December 15 and will have a seasonal theme with a visit from Father Christmas and home-made Christmas puddings on the menu.