A SHOPPER got more than she bargained for during her monthly grocery run at Weeton’s of Harrogate when she was presented with a basket of locally-sourced goodies for being the deli’s 500,000th customer.

Andrew Loftus, the managing director of Weeton’s of Harrogate, surprised loyal shopper Ewa Pyrah with a gourmet gift to mark the shop’s fifth anniversary today.

Ewa, who has been shopping at the store in West Park since it opened, said: “The staff are great and their customer service is second to none.”

Famous for its fine meats (including beef from Mr Loftus’s own Weeton Herd), up to 50 different regional cheeses and more than 1,000 lines of Yorkshire produce, the deli has also sold more than 75,000 bottles of wine, 20,000 giant meringues and more than 54,000 Big Fred burgers since it opened in 2005. Over the five years the store has spent almost £4 million with local suppliers and created 32 jobs.

Mr Loftus, a former finalist in The Business Personality Of The Year in The Press Business Awards, said: “We remain committed to our original pledge to supply high-quality locally-produced food to help revive the flagging fortunes of many family farms.”