WALLACE and Gromit, not content with visiting the moon, are now exploring America, Canada and Europe, thanks to an export initiative by the Wensleydale Creamery at Hawes.

Its export activity has increased markedly over the last few years with staff attending a series of workshops organised by the York and North Yorkshire Export Forum.

The company, founded in 1992, produces about 20 different varieties of the cheese and has a turnover of £8m a year.

It recently took over the Fountains Creamery at Kirkby Malzeard, near Ripon, boosting its staff to about 150.

About 5pc of its trade is in exports but it plans to increase this following demand from overseas, particularly in America.

The company started the Wallace and Gromit brand in the mid-1990s following the Oscar-winning success of the animated film The Wrong Trousers which referred to Wallace's love of Wensleydale cheese.

Mr Phil Jones, Wensleydale Dairy Products' sales director, said the export workshops had increased the staff's knowledge of the export process, which could only lead to increased sales.