CIDER-makers from the two counties have been reaping the fruits of their labour with a stack of awards at the International Cider and Perry Competition in Hereford.

Small-scale cider maker Denis Gwatkin, from Abbeydore, Herefordshire, beat 32 other cider-makers from 10 counties to be named overall champion.

Mr Gwatkin, of Moorhampton Farm, picked up first prize for his Gwatkin Cider - named best dry cider as well as being overall champion out of 156 entries - and first for his perry. He sells his cider at local shows.

Fourth-generation cider maker Richard Horne, of Wold Farm, Cradley, near Malvern, carried off a haul of prizes.

He won first prize in the medium cider category, second for his dry cider and third for his perry in the awards, which also attracted entries from Wales, France, China and the USA.

"It was a daunting task for the judges," said a spokesman for the awards, adding the decision to go international last year had followed enquiries from abroad.

The cider and perry competition began in 1983 as a small, local event, organised by the Friends of Hereford Cider Museum, where the event is held.

It went on to be held on alternate years until 1995, when the decision was taken to make it an annual event.

It continued to grow and, in 2000, the Cider Museum took over the running of the competition.

The range of classes grew from the basic four - dry, medium, sweet and perry - to include bottle-fermented cider and single variety ciders, reflecting the changes in cider-making techniques.

Also recognised at the awards were H Weston & Sons, of Much Marcle, near Ledbury, Herefordshire, which took first in the sweet cider category and second for its perry.

Bulmers also did itself proud, with its dry cider and sweet variety coming third in their categories, and its medium tipple taking the second prize.

Other local winners included Tom Oliver's Single Variety Dry Perry, made in Stanksbridge, Herefordshire, which took second in the Best Presented Bottle of Cider or Perry category. In the same category, Amber Leaf Sweet Cider, made by Avonbank Cider at Pershore College, near Worcester, took third prize.

The judging panel included Keith Knight, Herefordshire master cider-maker, John Thatcher, chairman of the National Association of Cidermakers, and Chris Carr, Merrydown plc's master cider-maker.