The jobs of more than four million Sussex workers are safe thanks to a deal with a leading supermarket.

Bees at Paynes Southdown Bee Farms will be busy over the coming years supplying honey to branches of Somerfield in the supermarket's bid to offer more local produce.

Almost 100 Somerfield branches will be selling the honey from the family-run business.

The company was founded in 1922 by the late Fred Payne, the father of Peter and Paul Payne, who now run the business with Paul's wife, Sandra, and their sons, Mark and Roger.

Paynes Southdown Bee Farms is based in Hassocks and has 500 hives at 32 locations across Sussex.

As well as its famous honey, the company will be supplying its range of chutneys and jams.

The company has continued to employ the traditional method of producing honey.

After the top has been sliced off the comb, it is spun to remove the honey, which is then gravity-filtered to remove any wax.

The honey is stored in containers until needed.

It is then bottled and labelled by hand.

Somerfield's manager of local suppliers, Peter Neuman, said: "Our stores are always being asked if they can stock local produce.

"But due to the highly complex buying, distribution and quality assurance commitments faced by all the large supermarket groups, it is incredibly difficult.

"At Somerfield, we believe it is possible to overcome such barriers."

Mr Neuman was persuaded to visit Southdown Bee Farms following numerous recommendations from customers and store employees.

He said: "Paynes' honey excelled in our extensive taste and quality tests.

"The whole product range is second to none and all of them are favourites with the local community."

Paul Payne, director of Paynes Southdown Bee Farms, said: "We are delighted to have been recognised by Somerfield and are looking forward to supplying them with our goods.

"It is incredibly difficult for small companies to break into national retailing chains as there are so many logistical hurdles."