THE hunt is on for the banger with the most explosive taste in Cumbria.

In what will be one of the biggest competitions of its kind in the county, almost 200 butchers and producers are being asked to submit their finest sausage to the scrutiny of judges.

Senior marketing officer with Made In Cumbria John Anderson said: ""It could be a Cumberland sausage that competitors put forward or any other sausage they make. We know that there is a huge range of this great institution now on offer to consumers here."

Indeed, almost every conceivable type of sausage seems to be available, including venison, beef, venison and pork, pork and leek, pork and garlic, lamb, mint and garlic, pork and apple, wild boar, pheasant, venison and red wine, pork and Stilton and a host of different flavours of Cumberland sausage.

So far Made in Cumbria has identified 178 butchers and producers that they intend approaching but John Anderson suspects that there are a number of others who could enter the competition as well.

Entrants will be asked to send or deliver their chosen sausage (uncooked) to the nearest of four catering colleges in the county - that could be Lakes Hotel School Kendal College, Furness College, or West Lakes College where, on a chosen day, the bangers will be cooked and tasted.

The winners from each of the four centres will then be judged at the Westmorland County Agricultural Society Show near Kendal on Thursday, September 9, with the overall winner going forward to the North West regional final, to be held during National Sausage Week in October.

The Cumbrian Sausage Competition is being backed by the North West Fantastic Food Partnership, an alliance of Made in Cumbria, North West Fine Foods, Made in Cheshire and Made in Lancashire.

For more details of this sizzling summer competition contact Made in Cumbria on 01539-732736 or email John Anderson: john@madeincumbria.co.uk