A RURAL business has been far from sloe in celebrating its decade of life on the hedge.

Sloemotion began almost by accident when conservation methods were introduced at Manor Farm, near Malton, aimed at encouraging wildlife.

This especially involved cutting hedges less often, leading to large amounts of sloes being produced.

The idea of making sloe gin began to develop and Sloemotion was born.

Jonathan Curtoys and his wife Claire took on the embryonic business in 2006 and have, with some essential investor backing, expanded the company and extended the product lines to a range of nine hedgerow fruit liqueurs, as well as their popular Yorkshire Fruit Cup No.7, plus products such as sloe gin chocolate truffles and sloe and damson chutney.

The business, based at Barton-le-Willows, now employs employs 15 people, all of whom live in Ryedale.