AN Upton fruit farm has had its committment to quality recognised with an award for outstanding achivement from a leading supermarket.

Charlie and Jane Clive, owners of Clive's Fruit Farm at Upper Hook Road, were guests at a suppliers' conference held by Waitrose in Reading, Berkshire, last week.

And at a special dinner, on Tuesday, April 21, they were one of 12 suppliers to be presented with awards by the firm's commercial director, Richard Hodgson.

The farm started supplying apple juice to four Waitrose branches in 2004. It was a category winner in 2005 with its Conference Pear Juice, again in 2007 with its Mulled Apple Juice, and was a category winner in the Small Producer Awards in 2008.

A waitrose spokesman said: "Last year they were selected to be part of our food Hero promotion and are now in full distribution. They have been very supportive and risen to every challenge we have laid at their door."