A SOFTWARE development company set up by a Chapelford man has celebrated its fifth anniversary by scooping a prestigious European industry award.

Computer games specialist d3t won the creative outsourcer visual development category at this year’s develop awards, the gaming industry’s benchmark for excellence.

The award recognises its work on The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, a critically acclaimed open world action role playing video game.

Founder and commercial director Jamie Campbell, of Rockford Gardens, said: “As a work-for-hire company we deliver a huge variety of projects.

“We have a really strong team which has doubled in size over the past 12 months to 32 and between them have amassed a huge amount of experience.

“We want to continue flying the flag for the great talent right here in the north west and our develop award showcases that talent in the best possible way.”

The former computer games entrepreneur set up the company with development director Stephen Powell in 2011.

The firm has recruited experienced technical teams to help develop the business at The Heath Business and Technical Park in Runcorn.

The team has delivered projects for Sony, Sega and the BBC and also developed virtual reality games for the much anticipated PlayStationVR, announced in Los Angeles and due to be launched in the UK in October.