A family run Worcestershire pub will join 93 other county champions at an awards ceremony in London next week, who are all in with a chance of scooping national acclaim. 

The Flyford pub, located in Old Hill, Flyford Flavell, has been selected by the National Pub & Bar Awards 2021 as the county's best after applying to the competition almost two-years ago.

They will now attend a national ceremony in Euston on Tuesday, where judges will crown 15 regional winners on the night.

The overall pub of the year award will also be chosen, while there are further separate categories for which The Flyford and its staff are in the running.

Dave Sanders, who owns the pub alongside wife Helen and daughter Morgan, said: "We had something through to say that we should put ourselves forward and that's what we did, but we didn't hear anything for about 18 months."

Mr Sanders eventually got an email back from the judges who later came to visit The Flyford for a meal, although he admitted he was too busy at the time to even realise who they were.

"I'm sure it was on a Friday night because they stood out as a team of people taking lots of photographs, but with how busy we were that weekend we didn't even have time to see if it was actually them," he added.

"But it was a really good night, and we obviously must have impressed them."

The Flyford has continued to excel during a tough period for pubs, with the effects of Covid-19 hitting the industry hard.

Despite this, the team opened a new dedicated breakfast bar called Toast, as well as setting up plenty of tented areas for diners to enjoy their seasonal and fish specials in a safe environment. 

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And the pub's success will prove even sweeter to the Sanders family, who had no prior experience in the pub or restaurant business before taking on The Flyford. 

Mr Sanders, who was previously in the motor trade, said: "We have owned the Flyford for about five years.

"We originally brought it and did it up to let out for a group to run, and that failed miserably.

"So, we were faced with the choice of running it ourselves or selling it on, but we'd already put too much effort in to do that, so since 2018 we've been running it as a family.

"We've had fantastic support from our staff who have been really good, and from Bertie Davies who is our General Manager.

"It's a huge pat on the back for us, taking on a failed pub and then two-years down the line you're being recognised fior a national award, that's a big achievement."

Mr Sanders will be heading up the event in Euston on Monday with his daughter Morgan, the General Manager Mr Davies, and the Flyford's Head Chef Stuart Pretty, who has also been put forward for Chef of the Year.

Regardless of the result, Mr Sanders and his family are gearing up for another busy year, with work set to commence on The Flyford's nine rooms to get them ready for guests to stay next spring.

"It's hard graft," he added.

"I've been in motor trading, and I've been in property, but this is the hardest thing to achieve quality."