A BUTCHER is celebrating after winning a competition to find the best speciality sausages.

Johnsons of Thirsk, in Kirkgate, won in the sausage section of the Northallerton and District Butchers' Association contest. Its pork, apple and black pudding flavoured sausage won over the judges.

Johnsons was also runner-up in the same section with its pork, stilton, cranberry and sage recipe.

Andrew Trueman, of Johnsons, said: "We are very pleased to have won this competition. It was especially pleasing to win second place too in the speciality sausage section of the competition.

"The judges were looking at each entry in terms of texture, appearance and taste."

The competition was held at the Station Hotel, Northallerton, with a burger competition as well as the speciality sausage category.

There were 20 entries judged by Thirsk Young Farmers Henry Walker, Darren Hill and Rachel Ward.

The full results were, speciality sausage: 1 Johnsons of Thirsk - pork, apple and black pudding; 2 Johnsons of Thirsk - pork, stilton, cranberry and sage; 3 Arthur Haigh (Dalton, Thirsk), spicy Cumberland.

Burgers: 1 J B Cockburn & Sons (Bedale) - lamb and mint; 2 A V Fawcett and Sons (Ingleby Greenhow) - beef; 3 A V Fawcett and Sons - lamb and mint.