TWO Liverpool firms scooped accolades at the Big Chip Awards, the North West’s annual awards for digital excellence.

New Concept Gaming won three awards, while Mando Group won one at the ceremony at the Palace Hotel, in Manchester.

New Concept Gaming scored a hat-trick with their jOG concept – an in-game motion-sensing controller – which won Best Application of Technology, Big Chip International Award for Innovation and the overall Grand Prix Prize.

Web design agency Mando Group scooped best Public Sector Project for Liverpool Biennial 2008. The ceremony was rounded off by comedian, actor and musician Bill Bailey, who took to the stage for a 15-minute mini-gig.

Organised by Manchester Digital, the trade association for the North West’s digital sector, the awards attracted a record number of entries, with 226 in total from 134 companies – and a shortlist of 55 entries.

Manchester’s LOVE also won four awards, for Best Digital Marketing Campaign for Doctor Martens, Best Use of Visual Design for its LOVE website, the Big Chip New Media Agency Award and the Tasty Website Award.

Mark Hughes, executive director of Economic Development at the Northwest Development Agency, said: “These are exciting times for the region’s digital and creative sector.”