THE Welsh finalists in the running for a 2015 Countryside Alliance Award have been announced, with one business from Monmouthshire vying for a “Rural Oscar” at February’s Cardiff Bay finals.

The Parsons Nose village store at Dingestow has been nominated in the village shop category, competing against three other similar businesses from across Wales.

Hundreds of nominations have been read and considered for awards, and the finalists across four categories have been announced.

Finalists will now receive a judging visit and are invited to the finals to be held at the Pierhead at Cardiff Bay in February. There, they will meet Assembly members and find out if they have won in a huge annual celebration of Welsh rural business, produce and communities.