EXCITED staff at a Worcester bakery were delighted to be named one of the best in the UK at the National Bakery Awards. 

Peter Cooks Bread in The Hopmarket has been named the best bakery in the West Midlands for the first time.

The bakery was entered into the awards by an anonymous customer before a panel of industry experts made their decision.

The judges did not just award the bakery for its bread, but for other aspects of the business such as how the bakery is run and its social media presence. 

Peter Cooks Bread named as the best bakery in the West Midlands Peter Cooks Bread named as the best bakery in the West Midlands (Image: Peter Cooks Bread)

Peter Doughty-Cook, co-owner of Peter Cooks Bread, said: "Everyone is really pleased. 

"We have been named the best bakery in Worcestershire a few times at the awards but this is the first time we have been named the regional winner. 

"I wasn't sure we would win but it's fantastic, it's a pat on the back and shows the real passion of the team.

"We are not a one-man operation here so it was really a team effort. 

"We started off with just two of us a decade ago making, baking and delivering. 

"Now we have 40 staff with hands-on dough at every stage who make our products the best they can be."

(Image: Peter Cooks Bread)

Peter Cooks Bread, which also has an outlet in Bromyard, bakes goods for both retail and wholesale after opening its flagship store in the city centre two years ago. 

The awards ceremony was held in London on September 25 and Pump Street Bakery in Suffolk was named the best in the UK.

(Image: Peter Cooks Bread)

Ben Corbett, social media and events manager at Peter Cooks Bread, said: "The whole team is delighted with the award. 

"The awards are huge and very competitive, everyone deserved to win but we are really pleased. 

"I would put our success down to love, time and effort as well as our dedication to innovating new products.

"Every day the majority of our products are produced by hand.

"Our skilled bakers look to improve our products each day to make them as good as they can be and that model runs through the whole business. 

"I think our customers recognise the effort, skill and integrity that goes into all our products."