NOTTS County Council has been named a Good Egg for ditching battery eggs in favour of free range.

The Good Egg Awards have been developed by Compassion in World Farming, the farm animal welfare charity.

The council's staff catering service and schools have made the switch, ensuring more than 250,000 eggs each year will come from hens spared a life of misery in a cage.

Campaign co-ordinator, Eloise Shavelar said: "We congratulate Notts County Council for going free range and hope that other councils will follow their example."

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) wants public sector bodies to use free range eggs.