THE owners of a bed-and-breakfast have won a popular TV| programme.

Former Worcester Warriors player Steve Lloyd and former Warriors commercial director Kathy Leather of Copper Beech House, Avenue Road, Malvern won popular TV show Four in a Bed.

The show takes owners of bed-and-breakfasts from across the country, and sends them to each others' establishments, marking them on various criteria such as cleanliness, how the hosts are, food and value for money.

The couple were delighted to get the top score in the programme they appeared in, which was broadcast earlier this month on Channel 4.

She said: "Four in a Bed called us when we first bought the B-and-B in October 2016, I was not that keen, as we had never done B-and-B before and we had a few bits of refurb that needed doing. Three months later they called us again and Steve said yes."

The couple had lived in Worcester for 14 years before buying Copper Beech House. Ms Leather spent 13 years as commercial director of Worcester Warriors rugby club, and her husband played for the club, as well as Kidderminster Carolians, Moseley, Harlequins and Barbarians, and coached Worcester Wanderers for 12 years.

"We agreed to do Four in a Bed as we thought it could be good publicity for us, and a bit of fun and excitement being involved with the program.

"Everyone has to stay at each other’s B-and-B and vote and pay how much they think it is worth. At the end of the week everyone sits around a table while you discuss the various criticisms and how much you have been paid.

"Winning the competition was a big surprise to us as we were up against people that had been doing it for a very long time.

"Winning it was very emotional and we were pleased and very proud of the fact we had won. We have had a lot of people call us from all over the country saying how much they enjoyed it and also how they liked our B-and-B, which has been really lovely.

"We attract a wide variety of people: parents bringing their children to the schools and colleges from all over the world, people visiting the Morgan factory and Three Counties Showground, customers going to the theatre."