A NEW awards programme has been launched to recognise the stars of Lancashire's hotel and hospitality industry.

The inaugural Lancashire Hospitality Awards will champion and reward the top performers in the county.

Twelve awards will be up for grabs, including Large Hotel of the Year, Small Hotel of the Year, Boutique Hotel of the Year, Spa Hotel of the Year.

The awards are free to enter and the deadline to submit your entry is Friday, October 5.

The awards have been founded by The KC Awards Group Limited.

One of the co-founders, Carl Darcy, said: "Iā€™d encourage everybody to look at entering, the wide range of categories means there is something for everyone and we look forward to receiving the entries.ā€

Co-founder Kara Rose, said: "Lancashire is leading the way in its hospitality offer but there have never been any awards to recognise this effort."