AN extensive programme of quality control has paid handsome dividends for a Harwell web and graphic design company.

Stop Press Design, started by Alan and Jane Mason in the early 1980s, has won the NQA ISO 9001 award for high standards after a year-long drive to improve quality control.

Alan Mason said: "We are pleased to receive this recognition. Congratulations must also go to our design team after we won a long-term design contract with the Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Food.

"This was achieved after competing against design agencies throughout the UK."

Clients of the firm, based at the Harwell Innovation Centre, near Didcot, include corporations and Government departments.

Stop Press Design has now taken on senior design and web producer Chris Doyle to head the design team. He has extensive experience in e-commerce, Internet, multimedia and print design.