The challenge is on to find the most popular plain pork and flavoured sausage across Cheshire and North Wales.

Butchers in the region are preparing their best recipes to see if they can win the NoW FOOD Centre Sausage of the Festival Competition at the Chester Food Drink and Lifestyle Festival on Sunday, April 16.

The judging to find the six finalists will take place on the February 21 at the NoW FOOD Centre at the University of Chester with a panel of eight judges taking part in a blind tasting chaired by three times previous winner Steve Vaughan of Vaughans Butchers at Penyforrd.

Steve Vaughan (left) owner of Vaughans Butchers, Penyforrd with Matthew Edwards

Taste Cheshire general manager Lisa Edwards said: “The closing date for entries is still a week away and we already have entries from qualities butchers right across the region, amongst them.”

Dee 106.3 Drive Time presenter Gavin Matthews has been one of the judges for eight years now and looks forward to his annual task.

He said: “Every year I am delighted to get my judges invite and over the years my knowledge of sausages has increased dramatically. The humble sausage really is a mouth-watering treat these days and this competition highlights just how well we are served here in Cheshire and North Wales by our master sausage makers.”

The winning sausage will be judged by the public at the festival. The first 40 people who make their way to the chef demonstration area by 10.15am on Sunday, 16 will become judges in our blind tasting to find our festival winners in each category and the overall sausage of the festival.

To enter the sausage competition, then either telephone Lisa Edwards on 01244 956 412 or email lisa.edwards@tastecheshire.com to get an entry form.