A HUSBAND and wife team from Whitchurch have won a coveted award for their organic vegetables.

Mandy Wright and Steve Forster, who own Harroway Organic Gardens, saw their bolero carrot scoop top prize in the fresh fruit and vegetables category of the Soil Association Organic Food Awards 2003. The couple's Glenample raspberry was also commended in the same category.

It was the first time Mandy and Steve had entered the awards and they were thrilled with the win, which was decided by a panel of 67 distinguished judges including Sophie Grigson, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and Raymond Blanc.

Steve said: "One of our customers suggested we enter something so we decided to do it. It's good because it's blind testing and done on taste."

The awards perhaps highlight the growing consumer demand for organic food, with sales approaching £1 billion a year and organic food continuing to be one of the fastest growing sectors of the food market.

Steve said: "We grow organic fruit and veg and have a little farm shop and a box scheme and deliver to people's houses. When we first started we struggled to sell anything and now we struggle to grow enough."

The farm shop is open 9am until 6pm Thursday to Sunday.