A HUSBAND and wife team whose family have been making gelato for 90 years, have won a national award for their frozen yoghurt.

Ricky and Hannah Forte who run Fortes Gelateria in Swanage, were delighted to hear that their blackcurrant frozen yoghurt was judged the best in the UK at the National Ice Cream Competition.

The annual contest is organised by the Ice Cream Alliance - the trade association for the UK’s £1bn ice cream industry. - and the awards are regarded as the Oscars of the ice cream industry.

Ricky and Hannah are the third generation of the family business which was started in 1926 and has a parlour in Institute Road.

Hannah said the frozen yoghurt had proved extremely popular with their customers and would be on sale again when the parlour re-opens shortly before Easter for the summer season.

“We were delighted to hear that we had won this award. All our gelato and sorbets are freshly handmade on the premises of our gelateria in Swanage,” she told Taste. “We strive to create a truly unique and authentic artisan product by combining our exclusive family recipes and using only the finest ingredients available.”

Zelica Carr, chief executive officer of The Ice Cream Alliance added: “The Forte family can be justifiably proud of their long history of making the finest ice creams and Ricky and Hannah are to be congratulated for maintaining such high standards.”

The Fortes also won Small Artisan Producer of the year at the 2017 Great Taste Awards last September.

n The Ice Cream Alliance aims to, "encourage and support the production, vending and consumption of top quality ice creams and other frozen treats".

Britons spend around £1.1 billion a year on ice cream with demand for novelty flavours such as Blackjack, Anchovy and Cake Batter driving up sales.