THE beloved British banger has proved its popularity after a Suffolk firm picked up a prize for the most sensational sausage.Powters' Celebrated Newmarket Sausages, made in the town since 1881, were given the accolade last night,with judges impressed by the product's texture, spicy flavour and quality of ingredients, which include the finest East Anglian pork.

THE beloved British banger has proved its popularity after a Suffolk firm picked up a prize for the most sensational sausage.

Powters' Celebrated Newmarket Sausages, made in the town since 1881, were given the accolade last night,with judges impressed by the product's texture, spicy flavour and quality of ingredients, which include the finest East Anglian pork.

Grant Powter, managing director of the firm, said: "We have long believed that our sausages are the best in Britain and now it's official. We are delighted by this achievement.

"Our attention to detail make the sausages so popular. We do not compromise in our methods or ingredients, and stick to a recipe which has been handed down through four generations, since my great-grandfather came to Newmarket in 1881 and started making sausages.

"We now believe it is the town's second claim to fame behind horseracing."

Powters' sausages are sold at a butcher's shop in Wellington Street, along with selected stores throughout the country.

The company, which employs around 25 people, also receives orders from as far afield as Scotland, with the British public munching their way through around 125,000 bangers each week.

The product first became popular after news of its quality spread when racegoers began taking strings of sausages home as a souvenir after visiting the town's famous courses, with the brand soon becoming synonymous with the horseracing industry.

"This award endorses the quality we believe we have always had, and will hopefully help us promote our product more," added Mr Powter.

"We have 2,000 customers visit our shop in Wellington Street each week, and they realise the standard of sausage they are buying. We hope this award will spread that message more widely."

The award was presented to Powters during last night's Meat and Poultry News Industry Awards 2003, and is the latest in a line of accolades collected by the company, which has also claimed gold from the Guild of Butchers and a string of regional excellence prizes.