THE Wellbeing Farm has been awarded a prestigious top rating — after a customer who popped in for a bite to eat turned out to be an undercover inspector.

The Highest Quality Assured award was received from Quality in Tourism and Taste Lancashire following a visit from an assessor who tested the farm’s food and overall service last month.

The award is the highest grade a venue can receive when it scores more than 80 per cent for its food, customer service, cleanliness and local produce used.

The independent assessor wrote in the report: “The Wellbeing Farm has been awarded the Taste Lancashire Accreditation after the visit, which is very well deserved.

“Local and seasonal prod-uce is evident on the menus and suppliers are clearly stated. Food served is to a high standard, particularly worthy of mention are the afternoon teas.

“Staff are friendly and courteous. A big well done to owner Celia Gaze and her team for creating this delightful venue.”

The award is the latest in a long line of accolades that the farm, in Plantation Road, Edgworth, has won since it opened in April last year, but Ms Gaze said that this particular one was a great achievement.

She said: “This is an independent accreditation, not something that we can apply for. They just turn up and rate you on the service they receive, so I was delighted when we received it.

“I had no idea where the woman who scored us was from until she told us — she just ordered a Lancashire Welsh rarebit and at the end of her visit she told us who she was.

“I am so pleased — many places are awarded the ‘quality assured’ award but to get the very top award is brilliant.

“It just shows, you never know who is going to walk in the door.”