A FAMILY run York business dating back 105 years has won a national sign industry award.

Harrisons Signs, based in Clifton's Green Lane Industrial Estate, accepted the Architectural Sign of the Year Award at BSGA's British Sign Awards, which recognise creativity and craftsmanship, as well as cutting-edge technological, manufacturing and engineering skills.

The 2014 honour was given for a ‘living wall’ sign Harrisons created for confectionery giant Nestlé.

The feature signage is just over 1.75m in height and nearly 10m in length along a living wall that screens the Tutbuty factory site with thousands of growing plants.

With great support from Applelec, another Yorkshire company, Harrisons created built-up letters and the brand’s bird’s nest logo in mirror polished stainless steel, with an invisible support structure strong enough to safely and practically create the desired effect above the foliage.

Richard Hunter of Harrisons Signs said: "After months of planning and preparation, the installation was incredibly straightforward - as the saying goes, it’s all in the preparation.

"In the 105 years our business has been running, we have won many accolades but to win such a prestigious award for our work makes us really proud."

Inder Poonaji, head of Sustainability, Nestlé UK & Ireland, congratulated Harrisons and indicated that the green wall was commissioned as part of Nestlé UK & Ireland approach to working with nature.