TWO food and drink producers from South Lakeland have scooped accolades in The Great Taste Awards.

Hawkshead Relish picked up three awards for its products while Shed 1 Distillery in Ulverston was awarded two stars for its Cuckold's Revenge Gin.

The winning relishes include the Salted Banoffee Mudd, a sweet spread made with fresh bananas, which was launched in January this year. It received a coveted two stars at the awards, with the judges praising the “delicious sweet yet well balanced spread”

Hawkshead's Chocolate and Honey Mudd received a one star award, with the smooth creamy chocolate winning approval from the judges. This spread is lower in sugar and perfect for anyone who loves a chocolate spread but is not able to eat nuts.

And the brand new Black Garlic Ketchup also received a one star award, with the judges enjoying the flavour of this new product that was created by Mark Whitehead MBE. The sauce took over a year to perfect and uses black garlic which is cooked in a low heat and high humidity for over 45 days. The garlic becomes black, sticky and sweet with a rich savoury umami flavour. It is then blended with tomatoes, onions, herbs and spices to create this rich dark sauce to be served with steak, sausages, fish or added to dishes such as casseroles.

Maria Whitehead MBE, Director said “We are thrilled to have had this new creation recognised, it is brand new to the market and already receiving recognition from within the industry, and in the short time we have had it available it has gathered a loyal following”

Judges dubbed Cuckold's Revenge Gin as 'outstanding' and said "it offers interesting and beguiling aromatics, soft and mysterious, delivering layers of citrus and spice with a lovely warming finish."

"To be such a small enterprise, quite literally working from out of our shed, and to get such a prestigious award is brilliant!" said Andy Arnold Bennett, who runs the distillery with his wife Zoe.

Judged by more than 500 of the most demanding palates, belonging to food critics, chefs, cooks, restaurateurs and producers, as well as a whole host of food writers and journalists, Great Taste is widely acknowledged as the most respected food accreditation scheme for artisan and speciality food producers