Accommodation providers in Boscastle are continuing to chalk up more successes, giving them more awards and plaudits than just about any other community in the UK.

Five already highly rated B&Bs in Boscastle are among the first in the country to receive a special Breakfast Award, given this year for the first time by VisitEngland and sponsored by the cereal maker Kellogg's.

The new certificates, which arrived in the post this week, can now be proudly displayed on the winning premises and in some cases will be alongside the most coveted awards in British tourism.

Boscastle has already hit the headlines with its unique run of top awards. Two of the accommodation providers getting the new Breakfast Award — the Old Rectory and Orchard Lodge — are also among only six in the whole of the country to receive Five Star Gold awards together with Gold GTBS awards (the Green Tourism Business Scheme).

The village also has more Five Star accredited accommodation pro­viders than most other areas of the country, including Cornwall's best known tourist spots like Padstow, Truro and Newquay. It can also boast more GTBS Gold awards than just about any other area of the country and is now anxiously awaiting the results of the latest round of green tourism inspections, the criteria for which has been significantly 'toughened' since the first awards were made two years ago.

Chris Searle, who with wife Sally runs the Old Rectory in Boscastle, famed for its associations with the writer Thomas Hardy said: "Our guests are amazed that they can taste the freshness of our home-grown and locally-sourced produce. The fact that they can see our own raspberries, tomatoes and nectarines when they stroll around the garden after breakfast hammers the point home."

Shelley Barratt from Orchard Lodge added: "The quality of breakfast is where B&Bs can really score over impersonal hotels. We work very hard at making sure our guests have a memorable breakfast experience, but none of that would be possible without the wonderful local producers which we're lucky enough to have on our doorstep in Cornwall."

Only seven per cent of guest accommodation businesses in England have gained the new Breakfast Award, enabling winners to go on and take part in a second competition next year.

"We know how much hard work goes in to delivering consistently high standards," commented Pam Foden, VisitEngland's operations and industry engagement man­ager, "and we hope visitors will seek out these special places where the owners, managers, chefs and staff have gone the extra mile to ensure that breakfast exceeds their guests' expectations."

The Boscastle Breakfast Award winners are: Valency B&B, Orchard Lodge, Boscastle House, Home Farm B&B and the Old Rectory.