TWO lucky families received an early Christmas present of unique New Forest Marque sausages this week made to their winning recipies.

The families entered the Marque’s ‘design your own sausage competition’ to celebrate National Sausage Week in November. Their recipes were made into delicious sausages by Marque member Chris Oakes, of Oakwood Butchers at Setley, Brockenhurst.

Matthew Welch, aged nine, from Brockenhurst came up with the idea of a cheesy chip sausage.

He said: “Cheesy chips and sausages are my favourite dinners and I thought it would be great to have them in a sausage.”

Other recipes that Chris brought to life were a New Forest forager’s sausage with mushrooms, walnuts and crab apple jelly, a bonfire banger with roasted pumpkin and chilli and an apple and Isle of Wight garlic sausage.

Chris said: “It’s been great to be part of this competition.

National Sausage Week plays an important role in getting people involved in buying good quality pork. I’m passionate about producing high-quality local produce. All my Lop pigs which I rear and butcher spend their lives in the New Forest and Hurn Forest near Ringwood.”

Sarah Hunt, manager of the New Forest Marque, said: “The ethos of the New Forest Marque is to work with local producers and farmers to help them promote their produce.

“We have so much delicious food and craft on offer that it’s important to celebrate and enjoy it. The winners will have a great Christmas eating their way through their specially-made sausages.”