A CIDER-maker from Ross-on-Wye is 'overwhelmed' after being named the best producer in the country.

Ross-on-Wye Cider and Perry Company won the category in the BBC Food and Farming Awards 2019 after being named one of three finalists.

The judging started in April with a visit to Broome Farm, Peterstow, in April after nominations were sent to the BBC. The winners were announced at a ceremony in Bristol on Wednesday, June 12.

Albert Johnson, who runs the farm, said: "It's somewhat overwhelming to think about it. It almost feels like there's pressure now to live up to it, even though it's all been based on what we've done in the past.

"They (the judges) visited us in April and were only meant to be here a couple of hours, but were there from 12.30pm until 5pm because there was lots to talk about.

"They didn't tell us anything though and we had to wait until last Wednesday to find out we'd won."

Judges Alice Lascelles, a drinks writer for the Financial Times, and Jaega Wise, head brewer at Wildcard Brewery, said Mr Johnson's company was the producer "who had the highest standards across their whole range, and are a beacon not only for their local community but also for their sector as a whole".

Albert Johnson is the fourth generation of the family to be living and working on the farm, having been in the family since the 1930s. More recently, they also took over the village pub, the Yew Tree.

The family say cider-making to them is more than business; it's a way of life, and a celebration of the tradition of cider.

"There's been a wide change lately, a change in people's approach to food and drink," Mr Johnson added.

"People think about their bodies, what goes into everything and is it sustainable."