Sculpture by the Lakes is amongst the best in the South West after winning to accolades.

The sculpture park in Pallington, Dorchester, gained silver in the small visitor of the year and tourism event/festival of the year categories in the South West Tourism Awards.

This comes after Sculpture by the Lakes picked up four awards - three silver and bronze - in the Dorset Tourism Awards and named finalists in the South West Tourism Awards.

Simon Gudgeon, of Sculpture by the Lakes, said: "We're absolutely delighted and overwhelmed to be recognised with silver in both of the awards we were finalists in.

"It's a real honour for us to be up there with some incredible tourism businesses across the South West.

"Thank you to all involved, and special thanks to all of our visitors who really help bring Sculpture by the Lakes to life each and every day we're open."

The awards were presented online on April 22, with every winner given the chance to react to their award during one of the three hour-long sessions. Emotions were running high, with winners 'over the moon' at having cause for celebration.

Other winners included Nothe Fort, which received gold in small visitor attraction of the year category, Jurassic Coast Guides, which was awarded gold for experience of the year, White Star Running, which received gold for Run Jurassic 2019 in the tourism event/festival of the year and The Tank Museum, which was awarded silver in the large visitor attraction of the year category.

Robin Barker, director of services for Tourism Ltd, who manage the awards, said: "I feel honoured to have been involved in the awards over the past year and the last decade.

"Of all the years, this has been the one that has generated the most challenges as well as the most emotions, and we are so gratified to have played our part in giving our outstanding businesses something to celebrate.

"They are all so deserving. We can't wait to get out and visit as many of them as possible."

Co-organiser Nell Barrington added: "I have been really humbled to hear stories from these amazing tourism and hospitality businesses about how they have overcome adversity in these terrible times.

"It has been great to be able to celebrate their success and I hope they have a fantastic season. Congratulations to them all."

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