Boys go bonkers over Ben's bangers

Ten year-old Staffordshire lad Ben Smith has been going bonkers over his bangers – because it's his own recipe.

The Greysbrooke Primary School pupil, from Millbrook Drive, Shenstone, entered a region-wide competition to come up with the best idea for a sausage in the run up to the festive season.

His Staffordshire Christmas Cracker recipe, a powerful blend of pork, sage, onion, turkey and cranberry, beat off competition from school children across the region to land the county's title.

As a reward for his efforts staff at Russell's Butchers, on Main Street, Shenstone, have made up a tray load for members of the public to taste – and Ben was first in line to get a sample yesterday.

Proud mother Jo Smith, aged 43, said: "His design was really clever and he's done brilliantly to be picked from the whole of the county.

"It's a nice reward for him to actually taste his own sausages."