AN award-winning black pudding firm from Bacup has been featured on a television programme. AS Ireland's made its small screen debut on Rick Stein's Food Heroes on BBC2 on Thursday. The family business was chosen by the producers for the quality of its traditional product.

Master pudding maker Andrew Holte, 41, of Burnley Road, said: "The programme was all about food producers who are holding on to tradition and care about quality." Since they started entering competitions in 1997, AS Ireland's have picked up a total of 64 major food awards.

The latest triumph came at the Austrian Butchers Association Awards when they picked up two gold medals and two silvers.