MORE than 100 businesses from across Essex have been nominated for a top award.

The Muddy Stilettos Awards provide recognition to the very best independent lifestyle businesses in the region.

Regional winners are then offered the chance to compete in the prestigious national awards.

The competition, now in its 11th year, is considered the UK's most prestigious lifestyle business awards.

It has now revealed its 1,995 finalists from across 28 regions, including 105 from Essex, as chosen by customers and Muddy readers.

This year, three new categories have been introduced: Best Casual Dining, Best Event Venue, and Best Wine and Beer Specialist.

Voting for the final round of the competition will continue until April 18, at 1pm.

Readers can monitor the progress of the voting in real-time on the live updates page, which reveals the percentage of votes each finalist has obtained.

The winners of the regional awards will be announced on May 2, 2024.

The Muddy Stilettos is a leading lifestyle website outside London with a monthly reach of 3.8 million people in more than 28 counties.