SAUSAGE-makers have scooped a nationally recognised Banger Award.

Heath Farm Meats, of Bagginswood, near Cleobury Mortimer, achieved the accolade during the recent British Sausage Week.

Television chef, Lesley Waters, presented Heath Farms Meats' owner, Clive Gittens with a trophy - in the form of a golden sausage - in Birmingham.

Enthusiasts from the British Sausage Appreciation Society - BSAS - invited nominations from contenders ranging from butchers to school cooks and including mums who served up their own bangers and mash.

Clair Gittens, 43, has been running Heath Farm Meats with her husband, Clive, 49, for six years. Their sausages are made by employee, John Crowther.

"It's the first award we have ever won" said Mrs Gittens, adding: "It's the first competition we have entered. We couldn't believe it. I think we will start to enter a few more competitions."

She added: "Because we're small and so many big businesses win, it put us off a bit but now we've won this it's given us confidence."

It was Mr and Mrs Gittens's 10-year-old daughter, Sally, who submitted an entry to the competition on their behalf.

Mrs Gittens attributed the success of their entry to the fact they bred their own pigs, explaining: "It's our own pork that goes into our sausages.

"We put in a higher quantity of pork to rusk."

Among the more exotic varieties of sausage made by and sold through Heath Farm Meats' farm shop is chicken and cranberry, proceeds from the sales of which go to the Cystic Fibrosis Trust.

The trust is the main partner charity of the BSAS.