Pioneering brothers near Tresillian have won a prestigious national award for progressive farming and their business has been declared the overall runner-up in the country.

James and Jeremy Hosking, from Fentongollan Farm, have just been awarded the title of Progressive Farmer of the Year and granted runner-up overall Farm Business of the Year at the Farm Business Magazine's Food and Farming Industry Awards.

James said: "We're extremely pleased to win Progressive Farmer of the Year, but then amazed to get runner-up in Farm Business of the Year. I think what really caught the eye of the judges was the fact we started the business years ago. We're a mature diversification business, rather than people now who are starting off.

"The current watchword is diversification to try and survive. But when we saw the calibre of the other businesses in the room we're just absolutely amazed."

The farm has been in the Hosking family since 1883 and farms traditional cereals and livestock - primarily autumn lambing Dorset sheep.

It enjoys a roaring trade in brassica seedling sales and daffodil bulbs.

In addition, boxes of fresh flowers are available via their growing mail order business, which is linked with cancer charity Marie Curie who receive a percentage of all sales in return for promotion.

Their talents in diversification also won them the Royal Agricultural Society's award for excellence in practical farming in 2000.

Jeremy, 43, summed up the diversification process, saying: "I think we're both farmers at heart but this allows us to farm."