THE finalists in a new competition designed to celebrate food and drink have been revealed.

Eighteen businesses will compete in the six categories of the Flavours of Hambleton awards scheme.

They have three weeks to wait before finding out who has taken the titles at a ceremony at Thirsk Racecourse on November 4.

The awards scheme, organised by Hambleton District Council, attracted more than 1,200 nominations.

Judges whittled them down to the top five in each category and have since been visiting them as mystery shoppers to decide on the finalists - three for each category.

In the restaurant of the year section, the finalists are Gulshan Tandoori, Stillington, Oswalds, Sowerby, and the Farmers Inn, Brafferton.

Tee Hee, in Easingwold, Sutton Park, Sutton-on-the- Forest, and the Angel, Stokesley, are nominated for tearoom of the year.

Breakfast of the year nominees are The Lodge at Leeming, Lewis and Cooper, Northallerton, and The Caf, Northallerton.

Carricks, in Bedale, D Petch, in Great Ayton, and Lewis and Cooper are finalists in the specialist retailer of the year section.

The food producer of the year nominees are the Little Chocolate Shop, Leyburn, Hambleton Ales, near Thirsk, and Thornhill Beef, Easingwold.

Village shop of the year nominees are Crakehall, Osmotherley and Tollerton.