AN ice cream company has proved it takes some licking - after specialising in some unusual flavours.

Basil, Dolly Mixtures and strawberry and cracked black pepper may seem strange combinations, but they are just some of the concoctions mixed by staff at Dowson's Dairies Ltd, Clayton-le-Dale.

And the talented team has proved the firm is on the road to sweet-toothed success by scooping a bronze award at this year's Great Taste Awards - the 'Oscars' of the fine food industry.

Sales manager John Gardener, said: "Basil ice cream works very well. Then there's our strawberry and cracked black pepper.

"You've got to be adventurous and open to suggestions for weird and wonderful concoctions. Often things are created by accident.

"We do a creme caramel with coconut and honeycomb. Someone suggested we added blueberries but we didn't have that flavour so we put blackcurrant in instead.

"But Dolly Mixtures weren't successful. A restaurant suggested it as a children's ice cream but it went very solid and was too sweet."

Dowson's was founded 50 years ago by EB Dowson and Son, the father and grandfather of the present owners Eric and Amanda. It diversified into ice cream two years ago in to boost business in the wake of problems hitting the farming industry, including foot and mouth.

The dairy produces 23 different flavours under the label 'Mrs Dowson's real dairy ice cream' and offers a service for pubs and restaurants who want to give their customers a cone that's a little bit different.

The dairy's won the bronze award for its black cherry and amaretto ice cream.

John added: "We didn't expect anything. We are still finding our feet in the industry and it's a hell of an achievement for a small local producer against the big boys who have been established 20 or 30 years."

The secret of Dowson's success is simple - small batches using home-made ingredients.

John said: "We use our own milk and cream off the farm - you can't get closer to using your own ingredients. Small batches helps keep the quality exactly the same and the flavours very fresh."