Homes management firm is praised

Ashfield Homes said the result was due to quality workmanship

The organisation which runs and maintains council houses in the Ashfield area of Nottinghamshire has been given top marks.

Ashfield Homes has been awarded three stars by the Audit Commission, which praised the group's £76m housing improvement scheme.

Day-to-day repairs were also carried out quickly and to a high standard.

The report comes a week after Nottingham City Homes received only a one-star rating from the commission.

Pat Simms, chair of Ashfield Homes, told the BBC that the result was due to quality workmanship in the buildings.