FLORIST Diana Kaye's has been named National Flower Shop of the Year.
The small shop, in the High Street, Yarm, near Stockton, beat off all the UK chains and supermarkets to win the top prize and a second award for the Interflora florist.
The shop, run by Kaye Allen was one of only five florists in the UK last year to win a platinum award for excellence.
Ms Allen said: "We were genuinely taken aback. I told the (staff) don't raise your hopes. It was the biggest shock since I gave birth to my little boy two years ago, aged 40."
As a schoolgirl, she worked during the school holidays at the shop - then a greengrocers - and could hardly wait to leave school to work full-time with flowers.
Aged 16, she began her florist business from the premises where she used to help out.
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