A family-run gift shop and newsagent is celebrating being crowned the Bridport News' Retailer of the Year.

Harbour News and Gifts in West Bay was voted as the top shop in the area by our readers.

Having undergone an extensive refurbishment in 2019, voters were full of praise for the shop's new look and its top customer service.

Customers visiting the shop praise its unique and tasteful range of gifts, the delicious Marshfield Farm ice cream on sale and the fact that they can also pick up their daily newspaper or the Bridport News all under one roof!

The shop even made a brief appearance in the first series of hit ITV drama Broadchurch.

Nicole Attrill, who runs the shop along with her husband Tim and his parents Richard and Margaret, said the whole family was really pleased to hear the store had won the award.

She said: "It's the first time we've won anything like this. We get lots of feedback about us stocking more unusual gifts that mostly follow the theme of being beside the seaside. We also sell handmade candles, scents and room diffusers. A lot of people like buying things for Christmas presents and we also stock activities for children who are on holiday, which are popular.

"A lot of people say 'we love your stuff, it's so different'."

Mrs Attrill said another main asset the shop has is its outstanding customer service.

Staff member Sharon Gill has worked at Harbour News and Gifts for 20 years, before it was taken over by Richard and Margaret Atrill, and is known as 'queen of the shop', Mrs Attrill said.

She added: "In my opinion I feel the award is really down to how hard the staff work. Because local people voted for us it goes to show the relationship we have with the locals.

"It's really nice working in a family environment, it's just like going to work with your best friends. We're a close team."

One of the biggest challenges, Mrs Atrill said, was the frustration of waiting to reopen the shop during the 2020 pandemic lockdowns.

"We'd just had the refurbishment done in 2019 and we'd put in all this time and effort making it into more of a gift shop and making it look the way we wanted and then to have to shut the shop was hard

"Then since we reopened everyone has been really supportive and it means so much to us, we'd like to thank everyone."