A PROPERTY consultant put in more than just a Tolkien effort to win plaudits for a magazine cover.

Being shortlisted for the Estates Gazette front cover awards (pictured) has become a hobbit for Alder King it has won once and been shortlisted in the last eight years. The most recent effort used a play on words with the first novel in JRR Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy the Fellowship of the Ring.

Alder King chairman Grant Watson said: "This is a great honour for Alder King, the only regional practice represented in the final.

"I am very proud that we have been shortlisted in four out of the last eight years, having won the competition in 1999."

The awards were held at the Grosvenor House hotel in London.

Alder King has offices in Bristol, London, Cardiff, Gloucester, Exeter, Taunton and Truro as well as Swindon.