By Sam Satchell

same.satchell@essnmedia.co.uk

DANEHILL Stores is in contention for a prestigious regional award for its service to the community.

The store is one of three South East finalists among the Village Shop and Post Office category in the Countryside Alliance Awards.

A further nine businesses make up the remaining three categories, which include Local Food, Daily Telegraph Traditional Business and Rural Enterprise.

Danehill Stores owner Gary Crilly was ecstatic after learning that the shop had reached the finalists stage of the competition.

"A nice little cheer went up in the shop," he said. "It's really quite exciting now.

"We have been here for eight years and we have invested a lot of money back into the shop. Now it's just a case of going along with each stage and taking it as it comes."

Mr Crilly explained how a large poster in the store had attracted comments and signatures from around 100 people in the space of a couple of weeks.

He added: "Of course, we would love to win it. It would be great to have a plaque in store and to have that recognition."

The regional award winners are set to be announced in early 2009.