IT may be famous as the cheese that makes Wallace and Gromit go weak at the knees, but now the town where one of the region’s favourite products is made has been given an accolade.

Wensleydale Cheese, made in the area since 1150, has led to Hawes, the Yorkshire Dales market town where it is produced, being recognised as one of ten in the UK.

The town has a population of 1,000, and the success of Wensleydale Creamery has boosted the local economy, with more than 3,300 tonnes of Wensleydale cheese being produced each year. Exports are worth about £2m.

The recognition, by the UK Trade and Investment group, is a huge turnaround for the creamery, which was saved from closure after a local campaign 17 years ago.

John Blackie, county councillor for the Upper Dales, said: “This is wonderful news for the town. You can buy Hawes Wensleydale cheese not just the length and breadth of the country, but anywhere in the world.

“I am told it is just as easy to buy it in New York as it is in York.”

Wensleydale cheese is made entirely of local cows’ milk and the creamery pays a premium to dairy farmers.

Manager David Hartley said: “We are proud to use local farms to supply milk, which helps sustain the surrounding agricultural community.”

The creamery has become a tourist attraction following the success of a tie-in with animated characters Wallace and Gromit, and has about 200,000 visitors a year.

Colin Bailey, chairman of Hawes Business Association, said: “The success of Wensleydale cheese has helped the town and benefited the local economy, but Hawes also has a lot to offer in its own right.

“It has certainly become a brand that is recognised around the world, and that can only be a good thing for the town.”

Ronald Hampshire, who runs The Bee Lyne gift shop, said: “The success of the creamery is very good for the town.

“Hawes is a pleasant little town and a lot of people come for that, although we are happy to be a part of Wensleydale’s success.”