IT'S official — Sue Edwards of Hatherleigh makes the best sausages in Devon. But hot on her heels is a farmers' co-operative from Okehampton.
After three years of trying, Miss Edwards, of Brickyard Farm Shop, has finally won the supreme sausage trophy at the Great Devon Sausage Championship.
'I have always been in the top three but it is great to win it,' she said.
Miss Edwards, who also won the pork section, has been making sausages for 20 years and in 1985 was named in the top ten favourite sausage makers in England in a Daily Express poll.
The demand for Brickyard Farm Shop sausages has resulted in the production of up to 1,400 lbs of sausages a week. Miss Edwards sells directly from her shop and supplies many local pubs.
The competition at the Manor House Hotel in Moretonhampstead, which attracted 60 entries from all over the county, proved to be good for the area with Okehampton farmers' co-operative Westmoor taking third prize in the pork sausage section.
Manager Mark Pearce said: 'We are not disappointed that Sue has beaten us because we know she is very tough competition.
'I think it is good that two local sausage makers have come in the top three.
'We set up the co-operative three years ago and this was our first competition so we are very pleased with the result.'
Westmoor, which involves 120 farmers from all over the South West, is celebrating more good news after Somerfield agreed to sell its sausages.