A KFC has risen from the ashes of a fire to becomeo one of the best in the UK.

The KFC based at the A46 Twyford Services came out on top at the global brand's latest franchise awards ceremony. 

Only two years ago the builiding was devastated after a fire broke out in its kitchen.

It remained closed for 10 months.

The Evesham KFC is one of six in the family-owned franchise headed by Gerard Nicholas.

For the past 40 years, Mr Nicholas has been building his three-county KFC empire and it finally paid off after his franchise won both Partner of the Year and Operational Excellence of the Year. 

KFC franchises are graded on standards such as product quality, speed of service and customer satisfaction, and NNA's restaurants are ranked among the very best in the UK.

Evesham Journal: The team at the award ceremony. The team at the award ceremony. (Image: KFC)Mr Nicholas' franchise was up against another 32 other KFC franchise partners.

"It has been hard work, but we have been blessed to have such a great team around us, many have been with us for a very long time and have also moved up into senior positions," said Mr Nicholas.

"We couldn't thank all the staff enough for their hard work and dedication.

"These awards are testimony to teamwork and the values that we endeavour to instil within NNA Ltd."

Mr Nicholas' franchises include Evesham, Gloucester, Cheltenham, Hereford, Tewkesbury, Ross-on-Wye and Cirencester.

The Operational Excellence Award meant the restaurants were evaluated on their day-to-day operations, such as meeting and exceeding food safety and health and safety standards, outstanding cooking procedures, store cleanliness, and investment in up-to-date décor.

A KFC spokesperson said: "We are very proud of Gerard Nicholas and NNA Ltd, our Gloucester-based franchise partner.

"Their unwavering commitment to excellence has rightly earned them the titles of Partner of the Year and Operational Excellence at our recent franchise awards ceremony. 

"For over 40 years, NNA's restaurants have consistently upheld our high standards, from product quality to customer satisfaction.

"Their dedication to our brand and consistently going above and beyond for our loyal fans makes them an invaluable member of our franchise community."

Competition for KFC's global awards is a tightly fought affair, with 32 partners attending the latest annual ceremony in London to discover the results.

KFC now operates over 1000 retail outlets across the UK and Ireland, of which 86% are in England.