Two Weymouth eateries are hoping to wrap up a prestigious prize after making it to the final stages of the British Kebab Awards.

Aslan Bar and Grill on Maiden Street in the town centre and Hidden Gem at Littlemoor have both secured places on the shortlists for the sixth iteration of the high-profile awards: Aslan was nominated in the 'Best Value' category, while Hidden Gem nabbed a place on the shortlist for 'Best Regional Takeaway'.

The pair saw off competition from more than 5,000 other kebab restaurants and takeaways nationwide, entering the final 153 in 16 categories. The overall winners in each category will be decided by an expert panel of judges, with winners to be announced at a ceremony in London on March 12.

As well as total number of public votes, other factors used to whittle down the nominees included the number of support tweets and hygiene ratings, as well as votes from figures such as MPs and councillors; the Hidden Gem's success was partly down to votes from borough councillors Richard Kosior and Mark Tewkesbury, as well as Deputy Mayor Gill Taylor and Mayor Kevin Brookes.

Hidden Gem owner Cem Ciftlik said he and his wife Victoria were 'very happy' with the nomination.

"It is a great achievement to make it onto the shortlist and we hope – we hope! – we can win," said Mr Ciftlik, 42, who has been in the UK since 2000, and worked at Turkish restaurants in London, Bournemouth and Swanage before opening his own premises on the site of a former toilet in Littlemoor shopping centre.

"When customers come in and taste our food, the reaction has always been very good," he noted.

"We will certainly attend the ceremony in March - it works well for us because it is taking place on a Monday, which is the day we are closed."

Aslan Bar and Grill manager and chef John McInally meanwhile said his restaurant's nomination was 'a surprise, but a welcome one'.

"It shows we're moving in the right direction," said Scottish-born Mr McInally, who moved to the eatery just a few months ago from Shelley's at the Dining Room on St. Mary Street.

"We make all our own bread, cooked to order, and we don't skimp on ingredients," he went on, explaining why he believed Aslan had been nominated for a 'Best Value' award.

#BritishKebabAwards founder Ibrahim Dogus said: “Kebab is fast becoming the nation’s favourite food so it is only right that the superheroes behind this phenomenon are recognised."