Three businesses have reached the finals of a major competition that promotes rural enterprise.

The finalists for the south-east region Countryside Alliance Awards were announced last week. Each business was nominated by a customer.

Ockley's Village Greens Farm Shop, in Coles Lane, is one of three finalists in the local food category, much to the delight of owner James Dampier.

He said: "We are very much focused on local produce and I think that is the main reason behind our nomination.

"We support as many local producers as possible and we go out of our way to find new producers in the area."

Mr Dampier and his wife Catherine also grow their own vegetables, which they sell at the shop.

Mole Valley also had two showings in the rural enterprise awards – Chalkpit Farm Stables, in Guildford Road, Bookham, and Denbies Vineyard, in Dorking.

Lauren Khor, 26, manager of the stables, said: "It is lovely to be nominated for an award like this.

"People talk about the care that we give the horses and the individual attention that we give them.

"Everyone says that the horses are really well looked after."

The nomination form also praised the manager for refusing to take a holiday "because she worries about the horses and clients too much".

Denbies was nominated for being "at the forefront of English wine production".

Chris White, its general manager, said: "It is a very nice surprise. We didn't even know that we had been entered.

"We have won awards for our products internationally and it is a high-quality product."

The regional winners for each category will be announced at the beginning of next year.

Michelle Nudds, the regional director for the Countryside Alliance, said: "There are some cracking finalists in this line-up and I am very confident that there are a few who are in with a chance of going all the way in the UK final.

"This list represents the best of the region's produce, skills, enterprise and community spirit.

"Choosing a winner in each category is going to be very, very hard."