A FARM shop in Thornton has received a plastic free award for ongoing work to reduce waste at the firm.

Robertshaw’s Farm Shop, which was known as Keelham Farm Shop until March, was presented with the award from environmental charity, Surfers Against Sewage.

The firm is proactive in using renewable forms of energy and minimising its impact on the environment.

They have their own wind turbines on the farm, and a recycling scheme in place for every single item of waste from the farm.

The firm said: “We try not to package as much products as possible, we favour loose fruit and veg, our deli counters and butchers counters you can buy a single pie or a single steak, meaning that we don’t encourage waste with multi buys and if you are a single person or a large family, you can buy as little or as much as you like.

"We also encourage customers to bring their own containers to cut down on packaging.

"Last week we went plastic free in our florists and we have lots more exciting projects coming up in the new year which we considerably reduce our and ours customers waste."

Owner James Robertshaw was presented with the Surfers Against Sewage Plastic Free Award by Helen Miller from Plastic Free Denholme.

The farm shop is now under the sole ownership of Mr Robertshaw, having broken away from the Keelham brand which he had co-owned with his sister Victoria.

He now follows in his father’s footsteps, who opened the farm shop at the site in 1974.