A TRURO pub has been named the UK's most ethical restaurant in the RSPCA's good business awards for 2008.

The Norway Inn in Perranarworthal beat off stiff competition to win the award, which was presented at a ceremony in London last week.

The awards aim to promote high animal welfare standards and are judged on such criteria as live transport, welfare at slaughter, label ling, inspection of suppliers and import from other countries.

The judges, who were an independent panel of industry experts, said they were particularly impressed by the Norway Inn's commitment to traceability and the fact all the farmers who supply it with animal produce are highlighted on the menu.

The winner of the award for a restaurant chain went to McDonald's UK, which judges said had used its sheer scale to influence the livestock industry at a European and global level, including by committing to using only free-range eggs.

Judge Richard Johnson said: "Each of our winners has made great strides towards improving standards across the industry in their respective categories.

"For the Norway Inn – a small independent restaurant in Cornwall – this is about the passion and commitment that has gone into placing animal welfare at the heart of its business model."

The Norway Inn's manager Alan Poole said: "We are immensely proud to have received such a prestigious national award.

"We have devoted a large amount of time and effort in locating and fostering the producers whom we can guarantee provide the highest possible ethical production standards in the industry.

"We therefore recognise that we accept this award not only for ourselves, but for those outstanding Cornish and west country suppliers with whom we do business."