A POPULAR North Tyne tea room has been recognised in a national magazine for its first-class afternoon tea.

The Carriages Tea Room in Bellingham has been awarded the Finest Tea Room award from This England, a magazine which celebrates all things English.

The award was launched in 2011 and asks readers to recommend their favourite tea rooms.

Since then, they have had nominations from across the world, with places as far as Australia and the Falkland Islands trying their hand at the traditional English afternoon tea.

Each quarterly issue features six tea rooms who receive a certificate.

Angeline Wilcox, deputy editor of This England, said: “We always have a tremendous response to the award.

“We value our readers’ recommendations and think they are great judges in all that is English.

“Our reader who nominated Carriages said it was lovely because once you step on board it’s like stepping back in time.

“Our readers are very patriotic and take any opportunity to celebrate ‘Britishness’.”

The tea room was recognised for its wide range of cakes, delicious paninis and the neighbouring heritage centre, plus the quintessential afternoon tea.

Christine Billany has been manager of Carriages since it opened four years ago.

She said: “We were delighted to receive the award and it was so nice that someone took the time to nominate us. We received a certificate and copy of the magazine which we are really pleased with.”