NATIONAL Sausage Week takes place from November 4 - 10.

Celebrate the good old banger by opting for one of Hampshire's top banger brands.

Our county boasts many local producers dedicated to rearing and using only the best quality meat in their sausages. We also have award-winning butchers producing excellent sausages from local meat.

Locally you can buy sausages including a range of meats such pork, goat, beef and game with many producers and butchers experimenting with different flavours as the seasons change. Plenty of producers also specialise in gluten-free varieties.

Hampshire’s sausage scene is so popular that it is the only county to hold its own annual sausage and pie competition. The Great Hampshire Sausage and Pie Competition is a celebration of our county’s pig farmers and butchers.

This year the event attracted 170 entries across 12 categories with Greenfield Pork Products being crowned Supreme Champion 2013.

A group of local pig farmers recently diversified into charcuterie using quality local meat. They trained for two years in the art of charcuterie making and are now offering a range of products including salami, brawn, faggots and chorizo. Visit hampshirecharcuterie.co.uk to find out where to try and buy.

You can buy local sausages directly from many local producers and also from farm shops, farmers’ markets and butchers. The local county food group, Hampshire Fare is dedicated to supporting our local food and drink communities. Find out more online at hampshirefare.co.uk.