Businesses from across Oxfordshire have been recognised as among the best in world after scooping top enterprise awards.

County businessman-turned-adviser John Jennens and companies Owen Mumford and Ovation Systems have all won prestigious Queen's Awards today.

A Queen's Award for for Enterprise Promotion has been given to John Jennens, 82, who retired from corporate life in 1985 after suffering a heart attack, but still works as a volunteer business adviser.

The award usually goes to captains of industry, but Mr Jennens is being honoured for helping thousands of people to start their own businesses through his work with various Oxfordshire business advice centres, either unpaid or for a nominal sum.

He said: "After 37 years of corporate life I had a heart attack, and realised what really turned me on wasn't making money for myself, but the idea of helping people to turn bright ideas into good businesses."

Mr Jennens, from Henley, mentored for the Prince's Trust for four years.

Between 1993 and 1996 he was with the Training and Enterprise Council, then with Thames Business Advice Centre in south Oxfordshire and its successor, Oxfordshire Business Enterprise.

Communications consultant Jon Barton, one of thousands of grateful clients, said: "His tough love is exactly what people like us need to build businesses which can last."

A blood-sampling device to help diabetics helped Owen Mumford to win two awards.

The company, which employs 450 people in Woodstock and Chipping Norton, won an International Trade award for a 156 per cent growth in export earnings in just six years.

Founded by Ivan Owen and John Mumford in 1952, it exports more than 80 per cent of its total production.

It also won an Innovation Award for its pioneering blood sampling device for diabetics, called Unistik 3, which incorporates pain-relief technology.

Export manager Martin Kendall said: "We are very proud to have been selected."

Meanwhile, a company that started in the founder's garage is now supplying video recorders to police forces across the UK.

Ovation Systems, of Milton Common, near Thame, has won a Queen's Award for Innovation for its DVD recorder AfterBurner, which allows police to record evidence accepted in courts.

Ovation was founded 20 years ago by electronic engineer Richard Gregory in his garage in Great Milton.

He said: "AfterBurner is now the standard video recorder for police forces in this country and they have moved away from tapes to DVD."

Recipients will collect their awards from the Queen in a ceremony at Buckingham Palace later in the year.