The Nottinghamshire Renaissance Heritage Awards recognise excellence in museums and heritage societies across the county with categories including best event, best exhibition and museum of the year.

As well as scooping the evening's top award, the Leeming Street museum was also joint winner of the Best Exhibition Award for Golden Sands.

Mark Laurie, Nottinghamshire museum development officer and coordinator of the awards, says the standard of entries demonstrates the excellence that the county's museums are offering visitors.

And Mansfield Museum curator Liz Weston, fourth from left, told Chad that everyone at the museum was thrilled to win this year's top award.

She said: "This is recognition of the tremendous team effort put in by the whole staff over many months and for their sake as much as anything I couldn't be more pleased with this endorsement by our fellow professionals."

There were also two local winners at the Derbyshire Renaissance Heritage Awards held at a special ceremony at Hardwick Hall.

Bolsover Castle walked away with Best Event 2008 award for Hallowe'en Week, while Hardwick Hall staff received a special award for their outreach work in the community.

Also pictured, from left, are Mansfield Museum staff members Rachel Crane, Lorraine Wagstaff, Jodie Henshaw, Paul Morton, Anne Bourn and Geoff Liptrot.