Wallace and Gromit's favourite cheese gets protection

Wallace wouldn't know what to do without his faithful dog Gromit by his side.

It is dearly loved by TV duo Wallace and Gromit and famous the world over, and now Wensleydale cheese has been awarded official protection by the European Union.

The newly conferred status means no other cheese-maker outside the designated area can produce a cheese and call it Yorkshire Wensleydale.

The maker of the crumbly delicacy, the Yorkshire Dales-based Wensleydale Creamery, has finally won its long campaign for Protected Geographical Indication status for its product.

The creamery will now add the PGI symbol to its packaging, reaffirming its true Yorkshire credentials and helping shoppers differentiate it from cheeses made in other counties.

"Our heritage and provenance makes Yorkshire Wensleydale cheese taste truly unique and we're delighted this is now officially recognised," David Hartley, managing director of The Wensleydale Creamery, said.

"We'd like to thank everyone for their support for our application, including our dedicated staff at The Creamery, our local community and of course, our loyal customers in the UK and around the globe.

"There could be no better early Christmas present for the whole team here and it is a great platform to propel us into 2014."

Foreign Secretary William Hague, who is also the local MP, said achieving PGI status meant many things for Yorkshire Wensleydale cheese.

"It means more international recognition and more awareness of The Wensleydale Creamery. Everybody can see this tremendous mark of quality and it commands national and international respect for this great product," he said.

"Above all, it means that to be Yorkshire Wensleydale cheese, you really have to be Yorkshire Wensleydale cheese.

"For me, there is no greater delicacy in the world than Yorkshire Wensleydale cheese and fruitcake."

Wensleydale cheese was first made by French Cistercian monks from the Roquefort region who settled in Yorkshire.

- PAA