A £250,000 EXPANSION project for the award-winning Percy's Country Hotel and Restaurant at Coombeshead was opened by West Devon MP John Burnett on Friday.

The construction of the new facilities at Percy's, which include two lounges and a bar, a 2,000-metre cross-country circuit and 60 acres of woodland planting with a 'Food from the Forest' theme, have provided jobs for local builders, fencing and forestry contractors.

It shows a further commitment to the local community by restaurant owners Tony and Tina Bricknell-Webb, who use all local products in their cooking.

The woodland is expected to provide many foods to the restaurant including venison, duck, snipe, freshwater eels and a range of wild mushrooms and trails around the woodland will be open to the public providing an opportunity to see an abundance of wildlife.

The diversification also includes a 2,000-metre hunter trail circuit with 60 jumps, winding its way through the newly planted woodland and overlooking Bodmin Moor and Dartmoor. The Bricknell-Webbs hope the new attraction will encourage people to come on holiday and bring their horses.

Funded with the assistance of MAFF, the European Commission, South West Tourism and the South West Forest Challenge Fund, the new venture was praised by Mr Burnett, who described the extension to the restaurant, designed by Trewin Design Partnership of Holsworthy, as 'outstanding'.

'This diversification shows everyone in Devon and throughout the country what we can do in this area to reach out for business and trade,' he said.

He complimented the Bricknell-Webbs for all they had done to train people in the tradition of 'gastronomic excellence'

Principal chef Tina Bricknell-Webb said Percy's was all about using local produce to produce the finest food you could buy.

'This expansion is good news for the local farmers who supply us and demonstrates that some of the best food in the world is grown on our doorstep.'

Percy's has won numerous accolades since it opened four years ago including the Westcountry Cooking Award 2000 and it was the first restaurant/hotel in Devon to receive three RAC Dining Awards.

It is currently in friendly competition with some other top local restaurants for people's favourite in the Financial Times Eat Out for £10 scheme. Percy's is hoping to beat its third position of the last four years and take the top spot which has been dominated by the Horn of Plenty, Gulworthy, since 1996.

The scheme, which raises money for the Save the Children Fund, is running lunch time and evenings until February 20.

The theme to the menu at Percy's is seasonal local produce to support the South West Economy.