AN award-winning Devon brewery has been saved from possible collapse after one of Britain's best known businessmen decided to invest in it.

Sir Gerry Robinson has injected £200,000 of his own money into O'Hanlons, at Whimple, near Exeter.

Viewers of the Channel 4 programme Gerry's Big Decision saw the millionaire former chairman of Granada and Allied Domecq scrutinise its operations and those of another struggling brewery in Hampshire before deciding whether either company was worth saving. In the end he decided to invest in both.

Owners Liz and John O'Hanlon saw the programme for the first time when it aired on Thursday night.

Liz admitted the company was going through a tough time when filming took place in January and February.

"Like any other company we were affected by the banks and had got ourselves into a bit of a muddle," she said. "They had yanked away significant amounts of our overdraft.

"We didn't know what to do or where to go and it looked like a lifeline."

The programme revealed that the couple were at risk of losing their home if the company, which employs six people, went under.

But Sir Gerry's offer of investment meant parting with a significant stake in their company.

"It was a very difficult decision, having worked so hard for 14 years," said Liz. "We were toying with whether or not to take the investment. What swung it for us was to have a man like Sir Gerry Robinson on board. Sometimes you have to give away something to have a smaller piece of a big pie instead of ending up with a very big piece of nothing.

"A year ago we were thinking we had to get someone else on board. That's why we went for the programme."

The company's fortunes have been revived since the programme was filmed. The brewery is winning new orders and is operating at full capacity.

"We are busier than we have ever been, but I think it was going in that direction anyway," said Liz.

On her impressions of the programme, she added: "We are all a little sad that it didn't involve the team here.

"The main focus was on John and myself, but we are very much a team."