Old Inn is tops for bangers and mash

The Old Inn in Kilmington, Devon, has been named as the pub serving the nation's best sausage and mash.

More than 100 top bangers-and-mash pubs were nominated in the contest and the Old Inn saw off competition from five other finalists in a cook-off.

The Old Inn's licensee Paul Diamond serves beef and beer sausages with horseradish mashed potatoes and red onion gravy.

The sausages are made by a local butcher from locally-sourced beef and Drayman's best bitter from nearby Branscombe Vale Brewery.

The competition was run by the Campaign for Real Food (CARF) in association with the Campaign for Real Ale and was launched as part of the recent British Food Fortnight.

"Simple, straightforward real food which tastes as good as it looks is what the Old Inn does brilliantly," said CARF spokesman Carl Smith.

"To win the CARF bangers and mash competition represents the best of what can be achieved by publicans if they use a little imagination and think about what they are giving their increasingly discerning customers."

Pictured: Paul Diamond and his wife Sue with chef Andrew Armitage​