Otter Valley has been crowned ice cream parlour of the year by the Ice Cream Alliance.

Rebecca Bond, owner of the Otter Valley Ice Cream and Field kitchen in Devon, has expressed her delight at winning the annual competition run by the Ice Cream Alliance, the trade body for the UK’s £1.4billion a year industry.

Rebecca and mum Gill run Otter Valley alongside Alison who makes the ice cream and a dedicated team of staff in the Field Kitchen said: "We are thrilled to win this prestigious ice cream award. To win the award and be recognised nationally is very special and a wonderful reward for our fantastic team here. 

The Otter Valley team hand-crafts gelato-style ice cream, using natural ingredients, having travelled to Italy on several occasions to learn from the world’s best makers, as well taking gelato-making master-classes.

Ice cream makers from all over the UK enter the event to try to come out on top and earn the prize of being heralded as the best parlour in the country.

And judges voted to acclaim the Otter Valley operation, based at Monkton, near Honiton – an accolade that Rebecca says is the pinnacle of their 15 years in business.

The establishment which serves customers delicious treats that journey from the "cow to the cone" is celebrating after scooping a prestigious national award. 

"Our vision has always been to create and sell the best possible homemade gelato ice cream, cutting no corners -- everything from scratch. We make our ice cream in small batches and have used the same method for the past 15 years and when people taste it and do so at this idyllic spot here in Devon they tell us it is very special!

"Our family is at the core of our business -- and we certainly are a proud farming family and very proud that we can serve our lovely customers ice cream that goes from the cow to the cone!"

Joseph McNeil, national president of the Ice Cream Alliance, said the dedication shown by Rebecca and her team to the cause was a considerable factor in the Otter Valley success.

He added: “The Parlour of the Year competition was introduced by the Ice Cream Alliance to showcase the professionalism and quality of our parlour sector. In only its second year it is great to see the competition thriving with record entries. I am delighted that Otter Valley have been chosen as our overall winner which is a testament to the dedication of Rebecca and her family.”