AT A time when many national businesses have reported a slump in their Christmas profits, local family firm, Tanners Wines, have announced a 10% increase in Christmas sales.

James Tanner, joint managing director said: "A busy Christmas was a great ending to what was a very successful year. Some of the highlights included the 25th anniversary of our shop in St Peters Square, Hereford, our website really took off and sales of wine from all regions of the world and in all price ranges have done well."

Tanners staff celebrated the results of their hard work at a party on Saturday where Hereford manager, Neil Clarke, won a mountain bike in a raffle in aid of Macmillan Cancer Relief.