SPIRES Travel, the agency formerly owned by Heart of Worcestershire College and still located just inside the All Saints Building of the college in Deansway, Worcester, has won an industry award.

Now an independent agency, it has picked up the Travel Trade Gazette Mystery Shopper for Worcester title with a score of 96 per cent, beating a major High Street chain and two well known on-line companies.

Spires Travel is now owned by Paul Knapper, together with part of the Hays Travel Independence Group, and he said: "This is great for us showing that shopping locally and using an Independent Travel Agent will get you great service and holiday advice."

The "mystery shopper" had called into travel agencies in Worcester requesting details of a week long holiday for two people in Cyprus in early September and Spires came out tops for its offering and service.

Mr Knapper added: "Many people think we only offer student travel, but this certainly isn’t the case. Our student bookings only account for around five per cent of our total business. Being independent means we have no allegiances with any of the tour operators and gives us access to more than 200 specialist tour operators offering a wide range of destinations as well as different types of holidays."