A COUNTY bed and breakfast owner is celebrating after winning a national award for her eco credentials.

Juliet Williams, owner of Lowe Farm Bed and Breakfast in Pembridge, was selected the winner in her category – best eco credentials – in the annual Best Kept Secret awards, operated by international booking website Laterooms.com.

Guests were able to vote online and had to say why they felt the venues deserved to win.

After votes were cast, a shortlist was drawn up for each category and Lowe Farm was a runaway leader.

Final judging was undertaken by a number of high profile food, sporting, media and travel companies.

Susy Smith, long-standing editor of Country Living magazine and judge of the best eco credentials category, selected Lowe Farm for its outstanding commitments to eco-friendly and green practices.

"We use eco-cleaning products whenever we can,” said Mrs Williams.

"Old fashioned soda crystals reduce the need for chemicals, we home cook with and buy local produce including our own to reduce food miles and of course benefit from their wonderful flavours. We even use excellent local eco paints for decorating and for their lovely fragrance.”

The property is insulated to the highest degree and Mrs Williams is continuing energy-saving practices whenever and wherever she can.

She is a voluntary international ambassador for green tourism and farm diversity and recently celebrated the 10-year anniversary of annually hosting green tourism ambassadors from Japan, who selected Lowe Farm from more than 200 venues in the UK for its green credentials.

"I can’t tell you how thrilled we are to be recognized like this," she enthused. "It’s wonderful to know that people voted for us because they appreciate all our efforts and enjoy those benefits."