A Norfolk company that has helped save motorists in the UK more than 60 million car miles was presented with the prestigious Queen's Award for innovation this week.

A Norfolk company that has helped save motorists in the UK more than 60 million car miles was presented with the prestigious Queen's Award for innovation this week.

Attleborough-based Liftshare.com has become the biggest car-sharing scheme of its kind in the world, with more than 272,000 members, and hundreds more signing up daily.

In June and July this year alone, another 25,000 people registered. The typical commuter who car shares with just one other person saves about £1,000 a year and reduces their annual carbon dioxide emissions by one tonne, thus helping to cut the amount of greenhouses gases that contribute to global warming.

“It's a huge honour to receive such a coveted award and we have been delighted to see how widely the Queen's Award logo is recognised and valued as a stamp of quality. It was a real privilege to welcome the Lord Lieutenant and so many other dignitaries to our rural offices today, to show them how a small local enterprise has turned into the largest car-sharing scheme in the world,” said the company's founder Ali Clabburn.

He was presented with the prestigious award of a crystal bowl by the Lord Lieutenant of Norfolk Richard Jewson on Tuesday.

The guests, who included High Sheriff of Norfolk, Viscountess Knollys, and county council chairman Wyndham Northam, were invited to tour the offices, meet the staff, and find out more about the company's success story.