Alligator Pear has been nominated one of the best gift retailers in the UK and selected as a finalist in The Greats Gift Retailer Awards 2018.

The popular independent Tadworth gift shop, in High Street, was chosen after an industry-wide poll and validation by a panel of experts.

Sue Marks, editor of Progressive Gifts & Home, said: "Being selected as a finalist is a fantastic achievement. There was a huge entry this year, with some first-class entries."

The quirky shop was also nominated in the Best Initiative category for their mothers’ and fathers’ day promotions.

Shoppers had to complete the sentences ‘my dad is a hero because’ or ‘my mum is a … mum’ and send in a photo of their mum or dad that “really captured their personality”.

The shop chose three finalists and set up a window display with three money boxes so voters could pop money in the pot of their favourite phrases and pictures.

The winner got a fathers’ day hamper or gift voucher and there was free Prosecco and cake too.

Money raised from voting was donated to The Children’s Trust in Tadworth.