A WEST Devon village shop has been honoured with an award, celebrating how well it coped over the recent white Christmas.

The Plunkett Foundation, which helps rural communities organise social enterprise projects, asked its network of 255 community-owned shops to send in their stories of snowy success.

Shops from around the country were nominated for the award, but with 51% of the public vote, Spreyton Village Shop was announced as the clear winner of the £50 prize money.

The volunteers and local suppliers stepped up to the mark, helping collect goods, deliver orders, and keep the shop manned throughout the snow, which brought many nationwide retailers to a standstill.

Volunteers walked miles through thick snow or hitched lifts in 4-wheel drive vehicles and even tractors to ensure the shop was kept open for the community.

Volunteers with their own four wheel drive vehicles spent hours picking up milk, eggs and bread from local suppliers, before delivering goods to local people stranded by the snow and unable to reach the shop.

Lovaton Farm at South Tawton and Brickyard Farm at Hatherleigh, who supply meat to the shop, both made sure everybody had their Christmas meat, making the journey to the shop to make their deliveries.

Part-time manager at the shop, Alex Wallis, said: 'I am extremely pleased for our volunteers that we have won this competition.

'They have worked so hard since we opened in July and the snow did not stop anyone from turning up to do their shift, which I think proves what a great team we have here.

'It is lovely that all their hard work has been recognised and rewarded.'

A spokeswoman from the Plunkett Foundation said: 'Spreyton Village Shop sent in an inspirational story of how the volunteers in the community went above and beyond the call of duty to keep the shop stocked and to ensure the most vulnerable members of the community had everything they needed.'

Sales in the shop hit a record level, and customers commented on the value of a local shop in severe weather.

Spreyton Village Shop is a community-owned business.

The new-build project cost £80,000 and took two-and-a-half years of hard work, planning and fundraising to come to fruition.

It is run by a committee of volunteers and is open seven days a week.

It has provided a vital facility for residents in Spreyton, following the closure of the former village shop more than three years ago.