THE personal touch has proved the key to success for a North Yorkshire cheese which has gained the crowning accolade in a year of prize-winning success.

Mrs Bell's Blue was selected by the BBC Good Food Magazine ahead of more than 700 other British products for the Cheese Lovers' trophy at the British Cheese Awards. Made from sheep's milk, it was named after Judy Bell, the managing director of producers Shepherds Purse, who are based at Leachfield Grange, Newsham, near Thirsk.

The real Mrs Bell explained that the name was changed from Yorkshire Blue about 18 months ago to differentiate the sheep milk product from their cow's milk cheese - which is also called Yorkshire Blue.

She added that since the change, Mrs Bell's had gone from strength to strength, possibly because the more personal name made it clear it was a farmhouse cheese.

"It's done really well this year, we are very pleased and proud of the product," she said, adding that the cheese had won top prizes at shows, including a gold medal in the ewes', goats' and buffaloes' milk section at the British Cheese Awards before gaining the BBC trophy. The cheese is described as a "true competitor to Roquefort", though less salty, with a peppery taste and smooth texture. Mrs Bell said: "It's smooth and buttery, very creamy."

She said the cheese-making business started as a diversification initiative from what had been a largely arable farm. It now employs eight people full-time and two part-time, compared with one person employed previously.