One Penrith-based business took home the grand prize at the Cumbria Family Business Awards.

Bells of Lazonby won the outstanding family business and food and drink producer of the year awards at the glitzy awards ceremony.

Managing director at Bells of Lazonby, Michael Bell, said: “I feel incredibly humbled by this award and I am immensely proud of all of our fantastic employees who have made Bells of Lazonby what it is today.

“We love our Cumbrian roots and the heritage in our region of brilliant family businesses. I am delighted this has been recognised at the Cumbria Family Business Awards”

In 2016, the bakery celebrated its 70th anniversary and has grown substantially over the last five years.

A total of £1.5m of profits have been reinvested into the business to develop their processes and facilities further within the past two years alone.

Bells of Lazonby will be one of the Cumbrian representatives in the North and Northern Ireland regional category of the National Family Business of the Year Awards set to be held in London in June.

Marketing manager Emily Sudell, said: “Recognising Family Businesses is very important to us, as family values permeate through our very veins.

“Within our business we have many two and three generations of families who have worked loyally for Bells over the years.”

The firm was recognised for its continuous development with an in-house development kitchen, as well as a dedicated new product development team who create products, ahead of the curve.

The judges praised the business for “breaking new ground with bucket loads of innovation.”

“They are loyal to Cumbria and take pride in their place but are not limited by it, they think on a big scale while remaining true to their family values and heritage.

“They would be the pride of any county.”

The firm employs around 275 people from the local area and provides excellent training schemes and apprenticeship programmes to consistently develop the skill set of their staff.

Most recently, one of the L3 Baking Apprentices, Beth Mathias, after following in the footsteps of her grandmother and mother to Bells, was one of only three finalists at the prestigious Baking Industry Awards as a “Rising Star”.

Mrs Sudell added: “It’s great to see the legacy of baking talent is continuing throughout such families at Bells to keep us in business for another 70 years.

“We are excited to be progressing to the nationals which recognises family businesses on a countrywide scale.