A Kent manufacturer has won an award for a website which lets customers design their own furniture in a "virtual" workshop.

Furniture manufacturer and retailer Jali, based in Barham, near Canterbury, beat off competition from Halfords and Specsavers to win retail website of the year at the Retail Systems Award.

Customers using the firm's website can build their own prototype radiator cabinets, bookcases and cupboards and put in an order to have them made.

Nicholas Showan, Jali managing director, received the award with Jim Reid, the firm's head of IT at Grosvenor House in London. Mr Showan said the website was the first of its kind.

He said: "Receiving the award is a tremendous achievement and recognises the hard work we have put in to create a truly unique shopping experience.

"It was our aim to let consumers decide how tall or wide their piece of furniture should be, and how many drawers, shelves or doors the product should have.

"Creating and designing your very own bookcase or cupboard couldn't be simpler now, and no training or reading a lengthy online instruction manual is required to get started.

"You can see every stage of the design process on screen as you add or take away furniture components, and see any changes to the cost as you go. This system is the first of its kind on the internet."

Jali was founded 18 years ago.