TWO local pubs, The Duck at Yeoford and The Ring of Bells at Cheriton Fitzpaine, have both been named as runners-up in an annual competition to find the nation’s best-loved pubs.

The prestigious annual Sawday’s Pub Awards, which have been run in partnership with The Telegraph newspaper, were announced on Saturday, September 5.

Both The Duck at Yeoford and The Ring of Bells at Cheriton Fitzpaine were named as runners-up in two separate categories.

As runner-up of the Best for Families category, The Duck was selected out of 500 national pubs.

Delighted to have received this fabulous accolade less than 18 months after opening the doors, owners Sarah and James Parkinson said: “Having a young family ourselves, this is an award that is very close to our hearts.

"We understand how important it is to parents to find a friendly pub that not only serves delicious food, but that also offers a welcoming environment for their children.

"This has been a focus for us from the beginning so we are so thrilled to have received this prestigious award.”

The Ring of Bells was named runner-up in the Best Community Pub category.

Binka Caven, owner of The Ring of Bells said: “We are thrilled to be chosen for runner-up Community Pub. It means so much to us, especially in the current climate.

"The support from our loyal customer base, who kept us ticking over with our take away and delivery service during lockdown, has been fantastic. We are eternally grateful and proud to live in such a supportive and vibrant community.”