A HARDEN company enjoyed double success in an awards scheme.

Sports turf research firm STRI won the Outstanding Placement Provider (SME) accolade in the University of Bradford Summer Experience Awards.

And STRI intern, Samuel Birch, scooped the Outstanding Placement Student prize.

The company, based on the St Ives estate, has been running a summer work experience programme for several years.

A trio was taken on this year, spending six weeks tasting topics such as scientific trials, project management and data analysis.

One former intern, Sam Swires, who graduated this year, has now joined the firm full-time as a trials officer.

STRI research operations manager, Dr Christian Spring, said: "It was a very successful night for us at Bradford University.

"I am delighted that our intern students fitted seamlessly into the research team and gained such a large amount from their experience, and that both ourselves and the students have been recognised in the Summer Experience Awards.

"We would encourage all businesses to engage with work experience students. We have benefitted enormously from our involvement over the last few years."