The village of Sheriff Hutton is friendly and enterprising with a strong sense of community.

That's the view of judges of the Calor Gas/Daily Telegraph Great Britain Village of the Year awards, who chose Sheriff Hutton as the winner of its Community Life section.

Organiser of the national awards, Michael Palmer, said the village's success was based on a testimonial in its entry from Londoners who had moved to the village.

He said: "The writers said they had been overwhelmed by the friendship extended to them. They found no suspicion of strangers, and the whole ethos of Sheriff Hutton was one of care, courtesy, friendship and support."

Mr Palmer said the Millennium had been given focus in the village with the production of a large-scale Millennium map illustrating village history.

"A large number of special interest groups flourish. The parish council is looking forward and is planning to set up a village website," he added.

Ryedale MP John Greenway attended the prize-giving ceremony in London yesterday with representatives from the village.

"It is amazing news; I think it is quite telling that what they have won is about community life and not just how pretty the place is," he said.

Sheriff Hutton villager Penny Beam, who accepted the award at the Institute of Chartered Civil Engineers in Westminster, said the whole village was on a high.

She said: "It is something we have always prided ourselves on, so to be recognised in a national competition is amazing."