POPULAR holiday cottages in Droxford have struck gold in a set of major tourism awards.

Wallops Wood Cottages won gold in the Dog Friendly Business of the Year category at the Beautiful South Awards.

The awards, known as the highlight of the 2017 tourism calendar, were presented by television and radio celebrity Toby Anstis and the event was hosted by headline sponsor, The Grand Hotel in Brighton.

Co-owner of Wallops Wood?Cottages Andrew Graham said: “We are thrilled to have won this award. It’s the result of a lot of hard work by the team over the past couple of years to ensure that our guests’ furry friends are looked after as well as their owners at our award-winning holiday cottages.”

Dogs are always well catered for at the Meon Valley venue. All of the cottages have enclosed gardens and the hosts provide guests with a welcome basket on arrival which includes a toy, treats, poo bags, bowls and other items to ensure pets have an enjoyable stay. Two more cottages, an indoor pool and games room will be added for the 2018 holiday season.

As a recipient of the prestigious accolade, Wallops Wood Cottages has been invited to champion the south east at the national Visit England Awards for Excellence.