Chester-based firm Wiltshire Farm Foods has been given a special King's Award for their recycling scheme.

The ready meal provider received a King's Award for Enterprise in Sustainable Development 2024, the UK’s highest business accolade, for the fourth time.

The award recognises the firm's ambitious closed-loop recycling scheme, a world-first initiative on an industrial scale.

The scheme sees customers return food trays which are 100 per cent recycled into new ones.

So far, this groundbreaking project has led to the recycling of 25 million trays, a feat that gained significant recognition from the award body.

Chester branch manager Richard Harrison said: "On behalf of the whole team, we are so proud to be recognised with a King’s Award for our closed-loop recycling tray scheme.

"This is all down to the tireless work from our drivers and their relationships with our customers – getting them involved in doing their bit for the environment has been a real motivator and something they really enjoy being a part of.

"It’s a brilliant example of teamwork at its best!"

The award also honours the company's commitment to combating climate change, with parent company apetito's aim to reach net zero emissions by 2040.