YORK and North Yorkshire dominated this year's White Rose Awards with businesses and organisation in the region scooping 11 titles at last night's ceremony.

The event, dubbed the country's biggest tourism awards, saw 11 of 16 categories go local businesses as almost 1,000 people attended the black tie dinner.

York winners at last night's White Rose Awards, held at the Yorkshire Events Centre in Harrogate, included Mallard 75 at the National Railway Museum being crowned Tourism Event of the Year.

York Visitor Information Centre won the Visitor Information Award, while York-based Puckett's Pickles took the Taste of Yorkshire Award.

In the accommodation categories The Dovecote Barns in Kelfield, near York, took the top Self-Catering, Cruisers & Serviced Apartments title, while The Talbot Hotel in Malton won Small Hotel of the Year.

Further afield, North Yorkshire's other winners included Harrogate International Centre winning the Business Tourism award, The World of James Herriot in Thirsk being named Small Visitor Attraction, The Angel Inn, in Hetton, Craven winning Restaurant with Rooms of the Year, and the Yorkshire Restaurant of the Year going to Yorebridge House in Bainbridge, near Leyburn.

Elsewhere in the county the Large Hotel of the Year title went to The Coniston Hotel & Country Estate, Skipton, with The Castle Inn in Skipton winning Yorkshire Pub of the Year.

Gary Verity, chief executive of Welcome to Yorkshire, which organises the awards, said: "It’s been an historic year for Yorkshire and our county’s profile as a destination has never been higher.

"Our awards are our way of recognising and celebrating how amazing our tourism businesses are and every single winner should be incredibly proud.

"Winning a White Rose Award is a prestigious seal of approval, which helps show customers the high standards that each winner displays every day. Our judging panel is completely independent, so to win one means a business has truly gone above and beyond."

A number of Highly Commended awards were also presented, with one going to The Old Brewery in York for Self-Catering, Cruisers & Serviced Apartments,and York Conferences receiving one for Business Tourism.

Independent chairman of the judging panel, professor Colin Mellors, said: "It’s always a genuine pleasure to see the delight on the faces of the winners and the highly commended as these awards mean so much to tourism businesses.

"None of our finalists should underestimate the importance of making it this far, whether they won or not. Competition is fierce and every year our job as independent judges gets harder and that’s real testament to these businesses."