PAUL IRELAND knows a thing or two about successful sandwich making - he has won the Great British Sandwich Competition.

The purchasing manager from Brierfield beat off competition from around the country with his delicious "Pendle Sandwich" in the contest organised by Hellman's Mayonnaise.

Now Paul, who works at M and F Components Ltd in Accrington, will have his prize winning butty featured in next month's edition of the BBC Good Food Magazine.

But modest Paul puts most of his success down to his mum.

He said: "I love entering competitions but I wouldn't say I am a great cook so I recruited the help of my mum.

"We purposely used Lancashire cheese and also potatoes, so it has a sort of Lancashire hotpot feel to it.

"I sent it off and never expected to hear anything again, but then we got a letter saying we had won the regional section which was a nice surprise.

"But I was absolutely delighted to win the national competition and I am looking forward to enjoying first prize, which is a gourmet weekend at a top hotel."

Here is how the sandwich is made:

INGREDIENTS

15g/ ounce butter

half small onion, sliced

Three or four rindless rashers smoked back bacon

One thick slice of granary bread

50g/2oz potatoes, peeled and boiled until tender, then cooled and sliced

3 tbsp Hellman's mayonnaise

1 tsp butter

50g/2oz Lancashire cheese grated

Preheat grill. Melt butter in frying pan and gently cook onion until softened and golden, stirring often. Grill bacon until crisp. Toast bread lightly on each side.

Mix potatoes, onion and mayonnaise together in a large bowl. Butter toast and place on grill pan. Top with potato mixture, then bacon.

Sprinkle with cheese and grill for about two minutes and serve immediately.

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