WIDESPREAD flooding failed to dampen the spirits of Worcestershire companies rewarded for their outstanding business performance.

For the second year running, Whiting Landscape Ltd of Bromsgrove carried off the top slot in last night's Worcestershire Corporate Performance Awards.

The landscape contracting company beat 300 rivals to take the award at a glittering ceremony held at Worcester Rugby Club.

The company, which employs 73 staff and scored 87 per cent in the awards' performance index, saw turnover grow from £6.221m in 1999, to a massive £9m this year.

Company secretary Laurence Upcott put the firm's success down to its ability to offer clients a complete landscaping service.

"We're thrilled to have won two years running," he said. "Most of the jobs we're working on now for clients are design and build contracts.

"This involves designing the site, securing planning permission and then construction work for a single budget figure.

"Most of our work is for business parks and distribution centres. It's all commercial."

Runner-up was Worcester Ventilation Systems Ltd, which scored 78 per cent in the performance index.

The industrial ventilation firm, based on the North Street Industrial Estate in Droitwich, employs four staff and turns over just £780,000 a year.

Peter Garner, network director for the award organisers said: "It proves you don't have to be big to succeed.

"Size doesn't matter, as they say.

"We've been thrilled with the entries this year.

"From more than 300 companies, we've whittled it down to 10."

He said the awards had sparked a "corporate performance ethos" in Worcestershire.

"Companies want to know how they're performing and how they can improve," he added.

"The performance index is a marvellous indicator to show companies exactly when they've got their financial ratios in the right place."

* Other winners were: The Hymatic Engineering Co Ltd, Redditch; Victoria Carpets Ltd, Kidderminster; Axiom Design & Print Ltd, Bromsgrove; Hycontrol Ltd, Redditch; Weaver Plc, Bromsgrove; Forest Fencing Plc, Stanford Bridge; Marshalls Transport (Evesham) Ltd and Exhausts Tyres & Batteries Ltd, Worcester.