A WEAVERHAM business providing agricultural and veterinary courses has picked up an award in the regional heats of a UK-wide scheme.

Embryonics Ltd, based on a Station Road farm, scooped runner up in the 'Best Rural Education or Training Business' at the northern Amazon Rural Business Awards, sponsored by Openreach.

The firm provides a portfolio of 38 educational courses and workshops across the UK to enhance practical skills required for the farming sector.

Embryonics director, Dr John Dawson, said: “Embryonics was born several years ago when we realised that there was a gap in the market for the provision of unique agricultural and veterinary courses.

"Since then the business has gone from strength to strength, and between them our team now has over 100 years of experience within the rural sector. Education businesses are vital to the development of the next generation of farmers, veterinarians, and future rural business-owners.

"The last few years have been an incredible journey and we are so proud of all we have achieved, and to have been recognised by the Rural Business Awards.”

The ceremony was held in Bolton on October 9.

Now in its fourth year, the Rural Business Awards is the only UK-wide programme dedicated to showcasing the success of rural businesses.

The Northern regional awards are sponsored by Openreach, which also sponsors the Best Rural Start-Up category.

For the first time since launching, this year the Rural Business Awards is hosting a series of regional finals in the north, east, midlands, south east, south west, Wales and Northern Ireland, throughout October 2018, ahead of the Grand Final next February.

Awards co-founder Jemma Clifford said: “Anna and I are so proud to be hosting the fourth annual Rural Business Awards together with Amazon. When we started the awards we wanted to shine a much-needed light on successful rural firms but the success of the RBAs is beyond what we ever imagined.

"We were blown away with the diversity of our entries this year so winning a prize is an extraordinary achievement – hearty congratulations to both prize-winners from Cheshire.”

To find out more, head online to ruralbusiness awards.co.uk