A Watford-based solicitors has been named the best in the country.

Collins Solicitors won Medium Law Firm of the Year at an awards ceremony hosted by the Law Society, while senior partner Des Collins was highly commended in the solicitor of the year category.

Mr Collins' firm was recognised in particular for the work they are doing, representing around 1,200 people affected by contaminated blood products used by the NHS in the early 1970s that were imported from the United States for patients with haemophilia.

The award website said: "Collins Solicitors is a firm who have made a significant impact through their work on the Blood Inquiry which the judges felt made them the most deserving winner."

Des Collins said: "I’m delighted that Collins Solicitors has achieved this recognition and am so proud of my talented team whose hard work and dedication deserves wide acclaim.

"Given our awards are largely a result of our work on the vitally important Infected Blood public inquiry, we'd like to dedicate our success to our clients in this matter."

Collins Solicitors featured in a documentary on the contaminated blood scandal, In Col Blood, which can be watched on ITV Player here.