A HONITON-based company has been hailed the nation s best children s activity provider.

A HONITON-based company has been hailed the nation's best children's activity provider.

Water Babies picked up the accolade in the Tommy's Let's Get Baby Friendly Awards.

Celelebrity mums Carrie Grant, Gaby Roslin, Samantha Bond and Tania Bryer were among those to attend the awards ceremony, held in Knightbridge, London. Longstanding Tommy's supporter Floella Benjamin OBE, Chancellor of the University of Exeter, presented the award to Water Babies' founder Jess Thompson.

"It was a real honour to be included in such a prestigious event," she said.

"We're all incredibly proud of our achievement. As a network of small family-run businesses, it's amazing to win in a national competition, especially where all the other winners are major high street names."

Ms Thompson added: "I think that our success shows the increasing popularity of development activities for the under fives, of which swimming has recently twice been voted the most popular. But it also shows the enormous amount of work everyone has put into helping Water Babies grow so exponentially in just seven years."

Tommy's, the baby charity, began the awards in 1995, aiming to improve the provision of services and products available to young families. The event also draws attention to the work the charity does. With one in four women still tragically losing a baby during pregnancy or birth, it carries out vital research into the causes of miscarriage, as well as providing practical advice direct to pregnant mums.