A COUNTY firm is all of a flutter after winning a national award.

Stoke Orchard-based energy experts GASTEC at CRE took a top award at the Hearth and Home exhibition in Harrogate, the biggest annual event for the UK's fireplace industry.

The company was presented with the Wise Owl Award for the individual or company who has made a lasting contribution to the success, improvement and good fortune of the fireplace industries.

To celebrate GASTEC staff visited the Gloucestershire Barn Owl Centre at Hempsted, Gloucester, where it will carry out a free energy audit.

Paul Balmer, GASTEC at CRE's commercial director, said: "We were absolutely bowled over by this very unexpected award, which was accepted on behalf of everybody involved in the GASTEC at CRE business.

"From a personal perspective, I think it is a fitting tribute to the hard work, professionalism and dedication of all those of us who ever have the pleasure of dealing with our customers in the fireplace industries."

Presenting the award Mr Philip Malkin of The Fireplace Marketing Group said "Their work enterprise exemplifies a duty of care to clients but, so importantly, also demonstrates a duty of care to the wider industry and serious interest in its longer-term future. These folk are great industry colleagues to work with but, far more importantly, are well known in our industry for good sense, sound advice and real expertise."

GASTEC at CRE Ltd (GaC) has decades of experience in energy matters and was created from the former Coal Research Establishment, and is part of the KIWA group, one of the largest certification organisations in Europe.

It provides product testing to manufacturers, energy advice to companies and organisations, training to energy installers and energy managers and acts as a source of independent science-based advice for others.