A GEM of a guest house has just been given its fifth award this year.

Mr David Armstrong and his wife, Heather, who own and run Clow Beck House, near Croft-on-Tees, returned from London's Caf Royal this week, very proud of themselves.

The couple's extended farmhouse has just been presented with the RAC Little Gem award, one of only 40 such accolades across the UK this year.

But picking up awards is becoming quite commonplace for the pair who have no formal training in hotel management or gourmet cooking.

This year they have also won the RAC Sparkling Diamond award, welcome award and food level 1 award and the English Tourist Board's top gold award, given only to the best hotel or guest house.

Mr and Mrs Armstrong were also runners-up in the Yorkshire and Humberside England in Bloom competition for the best small hotel gardens.

Mr Armstrong, who prepares all the meals for the 13-bedroomed luxury guest house, said their success still surprised them.

"It was Heather's idea to make a couple of rooms in the farmhouse into guest rooms about 12 years ago," he said.

"She was a full time teacher and we farmed an intensive pig unit here at Clow Beck Farm. But we needed to do something to help subsidise the unit.

"As time went by, it became an important source of income and now we would not have the farm without it."

Over the years the couple have extended the farmhouse and the facilities and can now take up to 30 guests in the dining room.

Last year, as pig prices plummeted, they closed the intensive unit but still farm 90 acres of arable land.

They are firm believers in buying only local produce, with meat, bread and vegetables coming from suppliers in Northallerton.

However, a two-acre kitchen garden also provides a handy source of very fresh fruit and vegetables.

"We never dreamed the guest house would grow into what it is today," added Mr Armstrong.

"We are very pleased to have won all these awards, especially for doing something we both enjoy."