THE Dartmoor Inn at Lydford has been served up a first class platter by the AA.

The pub and restaurant has been awarded two AA rosettes in the motoring organisation's restaurant guide and a special commendation for its seafood in the AA Pub Guide.

Karen Burgess, one of the proprietors, said they were so pleased with the achievements of the team, and especially chef Ian Brown, that they went to London to collect the awards themselves.

There they found themselves rubbing shoulders with the likes of Raymond Blanc, in the capital to collect five rosettes for his restaurant, Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons, in Oxfordshire.

'It was very exciting, especially for the chefs,' she said.

Mrs Burgess said gaining the award was hard work, with inspectors arriving and dining anonymously at any time, but she said it was all worthwhile.

'If only people knew how hard we had to work for this and what it means for the standards for our customers,' she said.

To celebrate, the restaurant is holding a special dinner featuring some of its best dishes tomorrow (Friday). One of the AA judges will be attending.