MORE than ten varieties of Wensleydale cheese will now be available in local Tesco stores.

Tesco has begun to stock the Wensleydale cheese in 27 stores in the region.

The cheese has been made in the North Yorkshire Dale of Wensleydale since 1150, when Cistercian monks settled in the dale and established a monastery at Hawes.

Wensleydale Creamery, which is based in Hawes, hand-makes the cheese to a traditional recipe, making it the only true Wensleydale cheese in the world.

Rob Evans, from Wensleydale Creamery, said: "We get our fresh milk from cows that have grazed in limestone meadows rich in wild herbs, which is what gives the cheese its special Dales flavour.

"The cheese is popular the world over, but Yorkshire people appreciate it more than anyone so it is great that they will be able to now get it in their local Tesco store."