ONE of Swindon's leading hotels has picked up an award for quality.

Blunsdon House Hotel is part of the Best Western chain but is owned and managed independently by the Clifford family.

The regional award for quality was given out at the Best Western independent hoteliers conference in Dublin.

Managing director John Clifford said: "We were delighted to receive the award.

"It's a testament to the hard work of the staff."

Best Western is the world's largest chain of hotels and Blunsdon House is only the fourth of the 300 independent hotels in the British chain to be named a "premier" hotel.

Blunsdon house was started in 1957 by husband and wife team Peter and Zan Clifford, who had previously farmed at the house.

With a couple of years the farm guest house became a country club and was soon a fully blown hotel.

John is Peter and Zan's son and his family now runs the hotel.