IT was a double cause for celebration for Charlie and Jane Clive of Clive's Fruit Farm, near Upton upon Severn, this week.

The couple came away from Tuesday night's Platinum Business Awards ceremony at Malvern's Forum Theatre with two top prizes, for the fruit farm and a nursery which they run from the same site.

The awards were founded five years ago by Malvern Hills District Council to reward excellence in business and community enterprise.

The fruit farm won first prize in the retail category, while the Little Blossoms nursery was given the special award bestowed by MHDC chairman, Coun Mary Wilkinson.

Mr Clive said: "We're delighted that we've won these two prizes. The nursery has been a great success, and we've just gained planning permission for an extension that will nearly double its size."

The fruit farm recently installed its own juicing plant to produce a range of apple and pear juices.

Runners-up in the retail category were The Map Shop in Upton and Malvern's Hunts the Florist.

Topping the manufacturing category was Bransford Garden Plants, which supplies more than 400 garden centres nationwide.

The judges commended the firm for the way it implemented a business review, which led to it growing a whole new range of plants, for many of which it is the only supplier in the UK. The firm employs 50 full-time staff and up to 40 more seasonally.

Spokesman Geoff Caesar said: "We're really pleased to have won this award. It's nice to be recognised for all your hard work."

Highly commended in the same category were Bronte Porcelain of Welland and Teme Valley Victuallers, which runs Malvern Country Meals butcher's shop in Church Street.

The winner of the service business category was Top Barn Farm and Business Centre at Holt, which was also named overall Platinum Award winner, with a £1,000 first prize.

Judges were impressed with the way the farm hasd adapted to overcome the problems of low agricultural income, providing homes for some 50 different companies.

Highly commended were Holland Funeral Services of Barnards Green, District Sports Services, based at Upton's Hill Centre, and Taylor's of Martley.

The best start-up business in the area is Ironing Direct, which Rhonda Godwin founded in her garage at Birtsmorton 18-months ago. It has gone so well that in November she took over a shop in Upton and now employs six people.

"It started out as a business I could do from home and there was no thought of moving into shop premises then, but it was never just a way of earning pin money," she said.

Runners-up were Tinies Childcare, La Boucherie restaurant in Abbey Road and Cromwells of Upton.

20/20 Speech, based at Malvern Hills Science Park, scooped the technology category for its development of the Aurix Activator, which aims to give speech recognition capabilities to mobile computers and other devices.

20/20 Speech was one of the first spin-off companies from DERA, the predecessor of QinetiQ.

Facility Monitoring Systems Ltd of Malvern and Toastabags of Longdon were runners-up in this category.

The arts business excellence award went to Nelson Training of Welland, which uses actors for an innovative form of corporate training.

Highly commended were Merrie England Furniture of Cowleigh Road, Paper Moon Caf, Worcester Road, and Scarlet Ark gallery and gift shop, in Church Street.

Maynard Lodge, a self-catering holiday let in West Malvern, won the tourism business category, with the White Lion Hotel in Upton, Walter de Cantelupe Inn at Kempsey and the Talbot at Knightwick all highly commended.

Clifton on Teme Nursery won the community project category, in which the runners up were Malvern Special Families, Age Concern Malvern and District and the student befriending scheme at Tenbury High School.

Community Action Malvern and District took the top award in the voluntary organisations category.

Mike McKnight, co-ordinator at Community Action said: "It came as a complete surprise and it's very welcome.

"It just shows the dedication of the volunteers we have got."

Welland Teddy Bears mum-and-toddler group and Tenbury Town Band were highly commended.