A small Bradford restaurant is celebrating after notching up a prestigious national rating for excellence.

Beeties, located in the World Heritage Site village of Saltaire, has been granted two rosettes by the AA.

It becomes the only restaurant in the Bradford metropolitan area to achieve the accolade and is among just a handful anywhere in West Yorkshire.

The status was awarded to the Victoria Road establishment following a visit by a judge from the AA last week.

Beeties, which is run by Jayne Dixon-Hill and her partner and chef Wayne Brimicombe, had been awarded one rosette last year but have now stepped up a league.

The award means Beeties is now ranked alongside prestigious eateries such as Pool Court and Simply Heathcoates in Leeds, the Angel Inn in Hetton, near Skipton, and Rudding Park near Harrogate. The highest rated restaurant in the area is the Devonshire Arms hotel at Bolton Abbey which has three rosettes.

The couple have been in charge of Beeties for about 18 months since taking over from Jayne's parents who founded the restaurant 14 years ago.

Jayne, 38, hailed the news as a "wonderful achievement" and also a boost for the Bradford dining scene.

She praised the efforts of the restaurant's four chefs and five other members of staff. "It is all about having a great chef, a nice little place and some wonderful food that uses fresh ingredients," she said.

"We have a chef who has worked in London alongside a great team of lads and the service staff are wonderful. They set the standard and that is very important. We also offer good value for money."

Jayne said the couple had long aimed for the accolade of two AA rosettes and were now expecting a visit from an inspector from Michelin with a view to notching up a further prestigious rating.

And the boost follows a series of great reviews from top critics including Daily Telegraph writer Paddy Burt whose praise for the restaurant is proudly posted in the window. Jayne said the couple had tried to change Beeties since taking over it to make it a more relaxed and informal experience and she said trade was generally good.

"We have got a great location here and it is really beginning to build up. This award is great news for Bradford's reputation as a place to eat out."

A spokesman for the AA said: "We really welcome the fact that Beeties has been upgraded to two rosettes.

"This is not only good news for the restaurant, but also for the region and those who enjoy eating out here as it means even more choice. It is a great achievement for the business."