Alex’s black and white banger sizzles in national sausage contest

North-east butcher Alex Daley is a Newcastle United fan through and through – so much so that he created and named a speciality sausage in honour of his beloved team.

Now, Alex’s ‘Black and White’ banger has scored a major success after picking up a top award in a national competition run to celebrate 2017 UK Sausage Week.

Alex, 36, of Cramlington, is shop manager at George Payne Butchers, in Brunton Park, Gosforth, and first came up with the sausage recipe around a year ago. It has since proved a sizzling success at the Princes Road shop.

The sausage contains finely diced Scottish black and white puddings from Ramsays in Carluke, pork from free-range native and rare breed pigs sourced locally from long-time supplier Tom Burns, of Beal in Northumberland, and Boot Boys brown ale from Anarchy Brew Co in Stannington, Morpeth.

The black and white banger won a special innovation award for George Payne Butchers, which was crowned ‘Best Independent Butcher Sausage: North: Innovative’ in the high profile competition.

Alex travelled down to the Plaisterers’ Hall in London to receive his award from UK Sausage Week ambassador and TV personality, Eric Knowles, from the Antiques Roadshow.

The ceremony took place on Monday, October 30, the launch day for UK Sausage Week, which runs through to Bonfire Night, November 5. It is this year being fronted by Meat Management magazine.

Alex’s black and white sausage will be available at the shop throughout the week-long celebration of the great British banger, along with other favourites from the George Payne sausage stable.

George Payne remains one of Tyneside’s longest established and best-known traditional independent family butchers. His shop, a long-time member of the national Butchers Q Guild, is this year celebrating its landmark 30th anniversary.