PARTICIPANTS in one of the quirkiest annual events have finally been announced.

The Harwich Sausage Festival returns to the pubs of Harwich on November 6 and there will be nine butcher vying for Sausage of the Festival title.

Becky's Butchers of Great Bromley, Chas Bower of Holland-on-Sea, D. Spence Family Butchers of Great Bentley, Frinton Road Butchers of Holland-on-Sea, Pier Avenue Butchers of Clacton, Ragmarsh Farm Shop of Manningtree, Ramsey Master Butchers of Ramsey, Shaws Farm Meats of Dovercourt and Manningtree Market, and Smiths Butchers of Brightlingsea will all compete to become Tendring's favourite go-to place for sausages.

The long-awaited festival will see each of the butchers submit their chosen sausage for a blind public tasting.

The day will kick off with a ‘pre meat’ event at Hanover Inn at 11am, followed by the usual sausage throwing competition.

Harwich and Manningtree Standard: The sausage throwing competition The sausage throwing competition

The race, for which only out of date supermarket bangers will be used, will take place next to Saint Nicholas Church at 11.30am.

To decide the this year’s winner, festival goers will be invited to visit the Alma, Hanover and New Bell inns at 12pm, where they can take taste all nine sausages before voting for the best one.

Richard Oxborrow, co-organiser of the festival, said: “We have a very strong line up of butchers taking part in this year’s Harwich Sausage Festival and any one of them could be the winner when the votes are counted.

“With top quality real ale available to accompany the top quality sausages the festival is going to be a real treat for those attending.”

Colin Cheesman, who is also co-organising the event, added: “The atmosphere in the narrow streets of historic Harwich on the day of the festival is fantastic and we greatly missed it last year.

“It’s lovely to be back and I’m sure that the Harwich Sausage Festival 2021 is going to be a big success.”