A LIFT firm is still going up in the world after winning a top award for the second year running. Nova Lift Company, based in Langley, near Maidstone, won a British Lift Industry award for its maintenance performance.

Customers rated the firm the country's Best Maintenance Company of the Year with fewer than 50 employees.

Former boxing champ John Conteh applauded company director Trevor Binger when he stepped up to receive the accolade at The Café Royal in London. Conteh, the event's guest speaker, congratulated Nova's directors and employees after the presentation.

Mr Binger and Garry Price founded Nova Lift in 1988. It now employs 24 staff and has an annual turnover of £1.5 million. Clients include Maidstone council, Kent Police, Kent County Council and the Chequers Centre.

"We were overwhelmed to win again," said Mr Binger. "To win it once is nice, to win it twice was totally unexpected." The company would be going for the hat-trick next year.