Elizabeth Grace has won Coalville's festive Best Dressed Window competition.

The North West Leicestershire District Council competition was designed to bring a festive sparkle to the area, encouraging local people back into town centres to shop safely at the end of a challenging year for businesses.

Residents voted for the shop to win the festive competition - and five voters have been selected at random to receive a £10 shop local gift voucher to spend at a local business.

In total, nearly 50 businesses from Coalville and Ashby took part and 393 votes were received.

The district council also ran a Have You Seen Santa competition which encouraged families to find ten out of a possible 130 Santas hidden at seven locations across the district including Coalville, Ashby, Castle Donington, Ibstock, Kegworth, Measham and Whitwick.

More than 40 entries were received and 30 of those that took part will also be randomly chosen to receive £10 shop local gift vouchers.

Following lockdown, when shops could re-open, the district council launched the competitions as part of its Spend Local, Shop Safe, Support North West Leicestershire campaign to encourage residents to pay local businesses a visit.

In previous years, the district council's chairman and the Mayor of Ashby have chosen the winners of the Best Dressed Window competition but this year residents were left to decide the favourites for each town.

Jodi Nicholson, owner at Elizabeth Grace, said: "We're so proud to have won and thank you to everyone that voted for us.

"It's been lovely to be part of the competition and we do think it has helped encourage people to come out and shop locally."

Councillor Virge Richichi, Chairman of the district council, said: "Thank you to everyone that took part in the Best Dressed Window competition and congratulations to our winners.

"It's been a really tough year for our businesses, and the district council has been here to support them in every way we can. It's great to see the public backing our businesses too – getting out into our town and village centres, spending locally and shopping safely.

"Our local businesses will continue to need our support next year too – please keep supporting them and we will all recover from this pandemic together."