A COMPANY that manages apartments in Grange-over-Sands and Ambleside, as well as a converted medieval castle in the Lune Valley, was highly commended at a national awards ceremony.

Homestead Consultancy Services, based in Lytham St Annes, looks after the 12 luxurious properties at moated Thurland Castle, Tunstall, near Kirkby Lonsdale, as well as The Falls at Ambleside, a collection of cottages and flats on the site of an old bobbin mill.

Following rigorous judging by an independent panel, Homestead was shortlisted in the customer services category of the Association of Residential Managing ACE Awards.

The company's managing director, David Bentham,said: "To be shortlisted was a fantastic achievement and when the announcement was made on the night that we had been highly commended I was absolutely delighted, especially when you consider the other companies in our category. We were up against some really big hitters.

"So when the compere announced we were highly commended and read out ARMA’s statement - 'Wonderful entry demonstrating that a smaller organization can stand proud among their larger competitors. Great examples of work and attitude of under-promise and over-deliver." - I couldn’t have been prouder if we had won.”

The industry awards were introduced this year to celebrate excellence and exceptional achievement by the UK's leading residential managing agents, to improve the lives of thousands of leaseholders across the country.

The Association of Residential Managing Agents (ARMA) is the leading trade association for companies that manage private residential leasehold blocks of flats in England and Wales.