A Lancashire company has received a national award for its in-house maintenance teams.

Burnley-based Calico Homes has recently become the first in the country to receive the Housing Quality Network’s Accredit mark.

The award, which was presented on 14th July, recognises the high quality of service Calico’s operatives provide to the tenants of its 4,500 homes.

It also acknowledges Calico’s high standards in health and safety and staff training schemes.

The HQN Accredit is the first and only system to celebrate repairs teams who operate "efficiently, effectively, economically and deliver excellent services to tenants and residents."

Andy Williams, director of customer services for Calico, said:

"The Accredit programme seeks to recognise the difference that our staff make to our customers’ lives every day.

"We are proud of our maintenance team and the service they provide, and it's fantastic to be one of the first organisations to earn this accolade."

The award follows the recent launch of Calico’s new repairs service, developed as a pilot project under the Tenant Service Authority’s Innovation scheme, which seeks to offer customers an increased quality of repairs service, as well as to set new standards specific to the needs of residents in the local area.