Ironbridge Gorge best in awards

A Shropshire tourist attraction was celebrating today after being named the "best in the west" in a prestigious awards ceremony.

Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust won the overall award and also scooped two other prizes.

The winners were named last night in a ceremony at the Barber Institute of Fine Arts in Birmingham for the Best of the West awards.

Blists Hill Victorian Town was successful in the best permanent exhibition category.

The Enginuity crash test glider rally, involving students from Abraham Darby Academy in Madeley, helped by staff from RAF Cosford, won the innovation on a small budget award.

Paul Gossage, marketing manager at the trust, said today: "To win two awards was fantastic and when they said 'the best in the west goes to Ironbridge Gorge', we just couldn't believe it. We looked at each other in surprise and delight."