STAFF at York's Vangarde shopping park have been awarded one of the most prestigious customer service accolades in the world.

The customer service team has got WorldHost accreditation, the same training given to volunteers at the 2012 London Olympics and Paralympics.

Centre Manager Deb O’Donnell said: “This accreditation, which is regarded as one of the highest customer service accreditations worldwide, demonstrates just how important we value customer service.

“Customer service has always been a fundamental aspect of Vangarde’s operations, so this accolade is very important to us.

“With the large number tourists coming to York, the WorldHost training ensures our customer service team is ready to welcome people from across the world.”

The customer service has already been recognised for their outstanding customer service, with every member of the team being nominated for the retail organisation BCSC's Achieving Customer Service Star Awards, and the shopping park itself has been nominated at the same awards.