Mackem pork sausage is announced as Sunderland's signature banger to be sold in Ibbitson’s

Sunderland BID and Sunderland City Council teamed with Ibbitson's butchers to find a new sausage to represent the city.

The public picked the Mackem Pork Sausage as the winner from six options at a taste test between 10am and 11am in Keel Square.

As part of the festival, voters had to write the number of the sausage they preferred on a piece of paper which was then put into a pot draw.

The Mackem sausage is based on panackelty with a veggie roll and as a prize for winning, it will be sold in Ibbitsons's, Jacky White’s Market.

The sausage recipe was made by Beat the Chef 2019 contestant Trish Bradford, a support assistant for EE who volunteers for Sunderland. She said: “Panackelty was one of the first dishes I tried when I came up to the North East and it’s a firm family favourite as well so it’s something that we really enjoy at home and I though why not put it in a sausage.

Trish is over the moon about winning and having her recipe sold in an award winning butchers.

She said: “I’ve had a really crazy week because I was on Beat the Chef Thursday and Friday and didn’t get through on that but winning this is definitely up there. Almost as good as Beat the Chef. In fact, as good as.”