ONE of the summer's smash-hit tourism attractions in Dorset has won more plaudits - this time for showing the way forward for struggling farmers.

Stewarts' record-busting maize maze in Christchurch has won the prestigious Strutt and Parker Diversification Award for innovation and investment.

The £70,000 leisure project, which has attracted thousands of visitors from across the globe since it opened at the start of July, was chosen as the region's best example of using farmland resources in a different way to reap rich rewards.

Stewarts Garden-Lands utilised 16 acres of spare land next to its store in Somerford to create 7.6 miles of maize pathways, beating the previous world record, based on a New Forest theme.

Judge Andrew Graham said: "We were impressed with the initial idea of using an agricultural crop in such a way as to entertain, and yet harvest the maize at the end of the season with no damage to the countryside.

"The level of thought and effort invested also impressed us. It shows how simple farm diversification can be, and we hope it will encourage other farmers and landowners to use their resources in such an effective way."

Though the crop, which currently stands at more than eight-ft tall, will be harvested at the end of the month, organisers are already planning an even bigger and better version to take root next summer.