NORTH Yorkshire ice cream maker Ryeburn of Helmsley froze out competition from around the country to be declared supreme champions at the Great Yorkshire Show.

David Otterburn, who has run the company with his family for the past 28 years was declared Supreme Dairy Product Champion with their raspberry, toffee and meringue ice cream, as well as best Yorkshire product.

“I’m thrilled to bits, I really wasn’t expecting it,” said Mr Otterburn whose family started making ice cream when milk quotas were first brought in 30 years ago.

“We decided to go for quality rather than quantity and it has paid off. We make about 1,000 litres a week depending on the weather. This is a new ice cream we’ve just brought out to a secret recipe and obviously it was a big hit with the judges.

“I’m really astonished, we have won in the past but not the supreme championship, now all we need is a good summer. It was my son Lee who mixed this batch, but we left him at home mixing more ice cream so he has missed out on the glory.”

Another North Yorkshire family the Myers from Rosedale on the North York Moors were also among the award winners with the best milk from an individual cow. Steff and Sean have a herd of 80 Ayrshire cows at Low Thorgill Farm.

“We were pleased to win because there were a lot of entries and competition was tough. It’s a family farm, my family have been there for 50 years and it’s nice to have this kind of reward for the work we do.”

The Supreme Champion cheese was won by retailer Tom Walker and son from Stockton with a cheese from the Allgan area of Germany called Rougette Barvarian Red.

Sales manager Nick Reader said:”I’m really thrilled and surprised, I didn’t expect this cheese to win, but it is a fabulous cheese, it’s one of 400 we have from all over the world.”