THE most outstanding businesses in and Worcestershire and Herefordshire have been honoured at a glittering awards ceremony.

About 300 people gathered to watch the winners step up to the podium at Malvern Theatres, Malvern, last night.

The black-tie gala awards dinner followed months of sifting through the best the two counties have to offer to come up with a shortlist of 22 businesses and organisations.

BBC local radio presenter Mike George, Christine Jones, from the Chamber of Commerce, Herefordshire and Worcestershire, and Karen Yeomans, of Advantage West Midlands, presented the awards.

They were the grande finale to the chamber's annual business festival, held during the day at the Three Counties Showground, Malvern.

Taking the title of Business of the Year 2003 was BizzEnergy, a supplier of electricity to businesses, based on Berkeley Business Park, Warndon, Worcester.

The company has grown to employ 70 people in the two-and-a-half years it has been operating.

The technology-driven firm won the award for being "brave enough to challenge the traditional model of an energy company" in a very competitive market.

Sussanne Chambers, communications director for the company, accepted the award on behalf of the entire staff.

"Worcester is a great catchment area for high-calibre, well-qualified staff," she said following the awards.

"We have been able to build a team of great people, mainly local to the area, who are incredibly committed to the growth and success of BizzEnergy."

Other winners from Worcester included Rabjohns Business and Tax Advisers and Toastabags, a firm that has invented a bag to make toasted sandwiches in the toaster.

Borrowers Toy Library, in Malvern, Thomas Vale Construction, in Stourport-on-Severn, and Whitefoot Forward, a document storage firm in Hartlebury, near Droitwich, were all winners in their categories.

Flying the flag for Herefordshire were Pearl Lake Leisure Park, Hereford, which won Small Business of the Year, and Haygrove Tunnels, Ledbury, a manufacturer of poly-tunnels for crops, which walked away with the International Trade award.

During the day, an estimated 2,000 people had flocked to the Three Counties Showground, where 110 companies and organisations exhibited their products and services.

There were also workshops, seminars and industry-specific zones at the festival, which is now in its second year.

Guest speakers included Mo Mowlam, former Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, and Will Carling, former England Rugby Union captain.