THE winners in this year's Test Valley Business Awards have been announ-ced following the largest number of nominations ever.

More than 200 local businesses entered the competition this year, with the results revealed at a ceremony hosted by football legend Lawrie McMenemy.

The ceremony saw more than 150 business leaders descend on Chilworth Manor in Southampton for a gala evening that also saw several thousand pounds raised for the charity Special Olympics Great Britain, of which Mr McMenemy is chairman.

The awards are now in their third year and are run by a group of representatives from Hampshire businesses alongside Test Valley Borough Council.

A spokesman for the group said: "The aim of the awards is simply to help promote business excellence in Test Valley by rewarding those companies who do best.

"However, the awards have also proved extremely useful in helping businesses of different sizes from across the region to learn about each other, what they do and how they can help each other."

Mr McMenemy said: "In sport, when your team wins everyone in the town wins - the shops and the businesses too.

"It's the same in business: your success is passed on to those around you."

The winners were: n Telsecure Group Ltd won the Test Valley Borough Council New Business of the Year Award. Telsecure is a small company based near Andover that specialises in devising ways of making Internet transactions safer.

n AB Sealants won the Hampshire County Council Business of the Year Award.

AB Sealants is a family-run firm based south of Andover which produces a range of sealant products. In recent years Internet sales have rocketed.

n Giftbagz won the eHampshire and Affili8 New Media Award for Excellence through e-commerce. They are a Test Valley firm selling bespoke giftbags.

n Roke Manor Research won the HAS Business Excellence through People Award. Roke Manor Research in Romsey picked up the award for its staff wellbeing programme.

n Wellow Fitness Centre won the Newbury Building Society Outstanding Customer Service Award. Wellow Fitness Centre is based south of Romsey, but operates across Hampshire. Judges liked the fact the company understood its clients and went the extra mile for them.

n Coppelia won the Town Centre Management Award for Retail Excellence. Coppelia in Romsey is a footwear firm that has been in business for 22 years and has seen its customer base soar.