AN Evesham dog grooming business has been hailed as the best in the UK.

Evesham Dog Grooming Academy of Coopers Lane won the grooming business of the year award at the 2015 Pet Industry Awards, held as part of a two-day Pet Industry Forum at the Crowne Plaza City Centre Hotel in Liverpool.

Hosted by stage and screen actor Brian Blessed, the awards dinner was attended by two hundred and fifty guests and this year attracted a "bumper crop" of entries of an exceptionally high calibre.

Carole Gowers, director of Evesham Dog Grooming Academy, who took along three of her teaching staff to the event, said: "2015 has been a fantastic year for us. Not only have I managed to complete all of the modules in the higher grooming diploma qualification, which is the highest recognised qualification in the dog grooming industry with only 40 groomers in the country achieving this level, I have also been awarded membership of the prestigious Guild of Master Groomers and now on top of that have won grooming business of the year."