West Midlands Tastiest Sausage Competition 2010

In a series of sizzling heats commencing 9th January, butchers and producers from across the counties will be battling it out for one of two titles: The West Midlands Tastiest Breakfast Sausage Award and The West Midlands Tastiest Speciality Sausage Award. Winners from all five heats will compete in the Grand Final Sizzle-Off at the AGA shop in The Mailbox, Birmingham.

Last year there were over 50 entries and the winners were Walter Smith Butchers in the Breakfast category and Boxleys of Wombourne in the Speciality Sausage category with their Old English Herb variety.

Judging a competition like this is thirsty work, as Tom Graham - Tom Archer in the BBC soap The Archers - and a hand-picked panel of sausage connoisseurs. This year there will also be a prize awarded for the best West Midlands Apple Juice.

The schedule of competition heats is as follows:

• Shropshire Sizzle-Off: Monday 9th January - AGA Shop, Telford
• Hereford and Worcester Sizzle-Off: Tuesday 10th January - AGA Shop, Kidderminster
• Warwickshire Sizzle-Off: Wednesday 11th January - AGA Shop, Stratford Upon Avon
• Birmingham & the Black Country Sizzle-Off: Thursday 12th January - AGA Shop, Wolverhampton
• Staffordshire Sizzle-Off: Friday 13th January - AGA Shop, Sutton Coldfield
• The Grand Final Sizzle-Off: Thursday 26th January - AGA Shop, The Mailbox, Birmingham

Each event will start at 10.00am.