The winners of the Mayor's Awards for Design in the Environment picked up their awards at a special ceremony at the Town Hall in King's Lynn last night.

The awards recognise the sterling efforts that individuals, builders and designers make to improve the visual amenity of the borough.

The awards were introduced in 1998 to draw attention to some of the innovative design in the borough and to highlight the high quality of smaller schemes which are not recognised by large scale national award schemes.

Each year the mayor, along with a panel of judges, selects the best scheme in each category for an award.

This year's awards attracted a record 39 entries - more than double the number of entries last year and the schemes ranged from extensions, new builds, renovations, commercial schemes and community amenity projects.

Mayor Zipha Christopher, who presented the awards, said: 'The standard of the entries was very high, and as always, it was incredibly difficult to select the winners.

'However, I know that we gave the awards to exemplary recipients and that the winners have much enhanced their surroundings and thus the borough.'

The winner in the refurbishment category was 20 St Ann's Street, King's Lynn, and the floral tribute area at Mintlyn Crematorium scooped the best community amenity award.

Titchwell Manor Hotel picked up the award for best non-residential extension and 14 St James Street, King's Lynn, was judged to be the best residential extension. The latter was also the overall winner.

Cedar Cottage in Thornham was voted the best single new build with the award for best small multiple new build going to Charles Dewar Close, in Great Massingham.

The new distillery at Norfolk Lavender, in Heacham, came top in the commercial category.