THE Great Hampshire Sausage and Pie competition has been a smash hit.

Thirty butchers from across the county submitted 170 products at Sparsholt College near Winchester.

David Gates, pictured above who runs a butcher's shop at Milford-on-Sea, near Lymington, was judged supreme champion with his port, apricot, wine and watercress sausage. He also won the champion trophy in the Hampshire sausage class.

Other winners were:

Traditional pork sausage champion, and farmers' market champion: Martin Martindale, Greenfield Pork Products, Andover.

Speciality pork sausage champion (pork and leek): Stephen Humby Butchers, Portsmouth.

Speciality sausage champion (lamb, mint and rosemary): JW Taylor Butchers, Fareham.

Pork pie champion and speciality pie champion: Simon Broadribb, Uptons of Bassett, Southampton.

Ready meal champion (lamb tagine): Anna Brock, Anna's Kitchen, Alton.

The event was organised by Hampshire Fare and the British Pig Executive and sponsored by regional development agency SEEDA, Hampshire County Council and Lucas Ingredients.

Tim Brock, of Hampshire Fare, which promotes public awareness of local produce, said: "The competition has been a great success all round and will hopefully encourage consumers to use independent butchers and farm shops."