STAFF at an Indian restaurant proved they were second to naan by fighting off nationwide competition to take away a top award.

The Royal Balti House, in Farnworth, bagged the Best Marketing Campaign accolade at the English Curry Awards.

The popular Market Street eatery picked up the gong at a glitzy ceremony held at the Mercure Manchester Piccadilly Hotel on Monday night.

The restaurant had also been nominated for best restaurant in the North West, while Anwar Hussain was up for best chef.

Nural Meah, manager at the restaurant, said he was thrilled to have won the award.

He said: “We are really grateful and all very excited. We were actually nominated last year and this year we weren’t quite sure what was going to happen because the competition is a lot bigger. To get the best of England is something we can be proud of and we are all so happy.”

He continued: “It’s a really big thing, the competition was really tough, tougher than last year. There’s just one winner from about 40 or 50 establishments.

“It’s really something. If it was just the north west that would be different , but across all the areas of England, that’s a big thing.”

He continued: “It’s like a dream , I thought we would not get near it but it came to us, we had a feeling we would receive at least one, but we didn’t know in which category.”

The family run business had a full table of ten people at the event and were shocked to hear their name read out as a winner.

Mr Meah said: “We were stunned when we heard it on the night at the ceremony, but really really excited, we’re all over the moon at the moment.

“We really enjoyed it because winning it reflects all the work we are putting in and it will boost us now to work even harder , we are really , really happy , and hope we can carry on doing what we are doing for many more years to come.

And he added that congratulations had been pouring in from the restaurant’s loyal customers.

He said: “The number of people giving us their best wishes has been overwhelming, it’s been every second on our Facebook page.

This is something we can give back to Bolton , this is something Bolton can be proud of, it’s not just for The Royal Balti House, it’s for Bolton itself.