AN AWARD for the best goat cheese in the world has been presented to a North Cerney cheese maker.

Cerney Cheese triumphed at the World Cheese awards in London this November winning Best Goat cheese in the World.

For more than 20 years the World Cheese Awards has been bringing together buyers and sellers from the dairy industry worldwide.

It is the largest cheese competition attracting over 2,600 entries from 33 countries and it was judged by over 250 experts. It also takes an entire day to judge.

Cerney Cheese, made in North Cerney by Avril Pratt, was in the final judging stages for the second year running.

The final judging panel is made up of cheese experts from across the globe, including Cathy Strange of Whole Foods Market in the USA, Suzy O’Regan of Woolworths Foods in South Africa, Ros Windsor of London’s Paxton and Whitfield and Kris Lloyd of Australian artisan cheese-maker Woodside Cheese Wrights. They taste and mark the shortlist of 16 cheeses from 2,600 entries.

The judges were bowled over but the quality and taste of Cerney Cheese. They loved the subtle flavour and could tell it was made from the highest quality goats milk.

Avril Pratt is delighted with the win and the trophy.

She said: "It is amazing. We are a tiny Cotswold business with only two full-time cheese makers but we produce a world class cheese."