THE York manufactured UK entry for the 2015 World Expo in Milan has been awarded the International Jury Prize for best design.

The Hive, which was designed and created by Tockwith-based creative construction company Stage One, was also praised for being most relevant to the Expo's theme of "Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life".

The UK Pavilion has been among the most visited at the Expo, with a peak daily crowd of 40,000, and the total number of visitors nearing the 2.3 million mark.

Designed by Wolfgang Buttress, the Hive features a 50-tonne aluminium abstract beehive as its centrepiece, which was moulded in Tockwith, and assembled by Stage One's team in Milan.

To address the theme of how to feed the world’s growing population, the structure draws its inspiration from the honeybee, responsible for pollinating two thirds of the world’s crops.

More than 890 LED lights illuminate the Hive, following the real-time movement of bees in a hive 870 miles away in a meadow in Nottingham.

Culture Secretary John Whittingdale, who recently toured the Hive said: "I congratulate the talented team of UK architects and engineers for their hard work in creating the UK Pavilion.

"Not only is this a great example of our architectural and design talent, it is also a perfect metaphor for the UK; we are a hive of creativity, scientific discovery and technological innovation."

The Hive is expected to generate a further £1 billion in trade and tourism after four out of five visitors said they were more likely to visit the UK following their experience at the Hive.