AN award-winning Yorkshire cheesemaker has had a surprise caller at her farmhouse home near Thirsk.

Judy Bell was preparing dishes, using her Shepherd's Purse cheeses, when she was told a top TV chef was on his way.

She said: "I had an hour's notice and then Rick Stein and a BBC team arrived."

The seafood chef was trawling for personalities for his new BBC2 series, Rick Stein's Food Heroes, which will be screened in August.

He was looking for people who are helping to preserve culinary heritage.

Having heard about Judy and her revival of an old Wensleydale method of making blue cheese with ewes' milk and other special cheeses, he was keen to include her in his programme.

The chef and the cheesemaker were filmed exchanging views, and touring the farmhouse dairy and newly-expanded production area.