A BUTCHER from Bolton is sizzling with success -- after being named one of the best five sausage makers in the country.

Greg Hull was battling to be crowned sausage champion of Britain but although he did not make it to number one, his bangers were placed in the top five.

He said: "I was as chuffed as mint balls to get that far. On the day we were just beaten by a better sausage."

The 42-year-old has already picked up a string of awards in the North-west for his sausages.

But he wanted to go one better and become the champion of champions at the Meat Product Awards staged at London's Rembrandt Hotel on Sunday.

Mr Hull, who owns Fraser's Butchers, on Rishton Lane, Great Lever, claims his sausages are made with a secret ingredient, which helped him to win seven prizes at the Meat Products Awards -- the butchers' Oscars -- held at the Reebok Stadium in November last year.

He beat more than 200 competitors from across the North-west, but no matter how great his success he will never reveal why his bangers taste so good.

He said: "Getting so far is a great credit to the staff here who have worked so hard."

In London, Mr Hull's team was competing against supermarkets, farm shops, hotels, restaurants and pubs.

Greg said: "The secret ingredients for my pork sausages and my pork pies are kept under lock and key."

Father-of-two Greg has been a butcher since he was 16.

He sells 500lbs of his sausage meat every week and up to 900 pork pies.