A handmade venison pie baked by a Halesworth husband and wife team has beaten off hundreds of other entries to take home a top prize at the world-renowned British Pie Awards.

Beccles & Bungay Journal: Lynn and Steve Tricker have won 2015 British Pie award for homemade venison pie.Lynn and Steve Tricker have won 2015 British Pie award for homemade venison pie. (Image: ©archant2015)

The pie produced by Lynn and Steve Tricker of Truly Traceable Venison and Game Pies took first prize in the Speciality Meat Pie class.

The prestigious awards, now in its seventh year, were held in Melton Mobray in Leicestershire, the spiritual home of the pork pie, and saw 830 entries from 131 professional bakers and butchers from across the UK.

Judges, including TV chef Andy Bates and food critic Charles Campion, scrutinised each pie for appearance, bake, texture and flavour in 20 different categories.

Mrs Tricker said: “We became aware of the competition during British Pie Week in March when it came up on our Twitter feed.

“I thought we should at least submit an entry not expecting to even make the finals so we didn’t tell anybody we’d entered.”

The pie was sent off by special delivery in an insulated box to keep it at the right temperature and ensure it was not disqualified before the judging.

Mrs Tricker said they then were astounded to get a call to say their entry had been shortlisted for the finals and they needed to go to Melton Mowbray the next day where they were announced as winners.

She said: “Our ethos is to use fully traceable meat with local ingredients to compliment it in a handmade product on a small scale as we feel you ‘lose something’ in a mass produced product.”

As the Truly Traceable name implies, the fillings for all pies and sausage rolls are fully traceable and are sold in a selection of local shops, pubs and restaurants.

Mrs Tricker said: “We can guarantee this on the grounds that all the venison and game is shot by Steve who is as fully qualified as is possible in deer management.

“He is also a fully qualified butcher.”

The award was made all the more special given that the business only began in November last year after the couple were approached by a deli in Halesworth which was looking for different products to sell.

Mrs Tricker said: “Knowing us as cooks and lovers of all things local, they asked if we would make some savoury pastry products for them.

“The response from the customers in Halesworth has been phenomenal and the feedback has been amazing.”