SUSTAINABLE farm shop and restaurant Roaming Roosters has been shortlisted for eight food awards.

Brothers Simon and Nick Mellin, who run the Higham-based business, are celebrating becoming finalists for six national and two regional awards.

The enterprise has been nominated for an 02 Smarta Award, a Growing Business Award, a British Farming Award, three Great British Entrepreneur Awards and two Lancashire Tourism Awards.

The Mellin brothers sell sustainable meat across the UK as well as in their very own farm shop and served in their bistro.

They also have an education centre on site – a popular family visitor attraction that allows children to learn about farming and feed the farm’s animals.

Simon, 28, who was interviewed for the Growing Business Young Entrepreneur of the Year award, said: “We enjoyed a lot of regional awards success last year and as our business has developed we felt the time was right to start entering some national ones; and we’re glad we did.

“Right from the outset, we’ve had a shared vision of bringing real, locally reared food to the masses, and that has remained our focus throughout.

“Some of these awards reflect our success in this area; the Smarta 100 awards celebrating all things ‘Made in Britain’, the British Farming Awards celebrating our partnerships with farming suppliers, and the Great British Entrepreneur and Lancashire Tourism Awards celebrating our food and drink.

“The others celebrate our successes as young businessmen, which again, is great reward for us as we work extremely hard to keep pushing business ahead, so it’s good to know that our peers think we’re doing a good job.”