A COOK at an outdoor resource centre has been judged to make the best sausage meal in the country.

Lynn Howden, from the Middleton-in-Teesdale Outdoor Resource Centre, won the first prize in a national sausage competition.

The contest, organised by the British Pig Executive, was designed to challenge school cooks around the country to create an original recipe using sausages or sausage meat.

Lynn's first prize dish was a goulash with pork sausages and mash.

The prize for winning the competition was a £500 Farm Stay UK voucher, which entitles the winner and her family to rent any one of 1,000 farm-based cottages across the UK.

Catering manager for Durham County Council Mike Elsom said: "Lynn is an excellent cook, and I am delighted that she has won the competition.

"Her sausage goulash is an ideal meal for the children that visit our resource centre.