Burnham’s food festival has made it through to the finals of the Countryside Alliance awards – more affectionately known as the Rural Oscars.

The festival – organised by residents Beverley and Sarah Milner-Simmonds – is one of three Somerset business ventures to make the cut.

It has been nominated in the tourism enterprise category, thanks to votes from the public.

The awards are in their 11th year and judges have chosen 10 finalists in each category.

They celebrate ‘rural produce, skills, enterprise and heritage through small hard-working businesses’.

Beverley and Sarah will be heading to the House of Lords for the awards ceremony on April 27.

Countryside Alliance Awards director Jill Grieve said: “The finalists are all exceptional. We have been overwhelmed by nominations this year, so for these Somerset businesses to get this far is a huge achievement.”