FIVE foodie businesses are celebrating after being honoured at the world’s largest blind-tasted food awards.

Companies from Blackburn, Darwen, Clitheroe, Ramsbottom and Rossendale received bronze star accolades for their local produce in the Great Taste Awards.

More than 2,000 food and drink businesses entered, hoping to get recognition from the organisers, The Guild of Fine Foods.

Young entrepreneur Lora Margerison, who launched the Cunliffe Hog Roast company 18 months ago after struggling to find work after university, said she was ‘delighted’ that her outdoor reared pork had been selected.

Ms Margerison, who is launching a secondary line of farm meats for butchers said: “I’m delighted and wasn’t aware that the meat had won.

“We knew the product was good but this award confirms its high quality.”

Dean Haworth, owners of Darwen-based Thai Pies, which opened in January, said: “I’m over the moon and didn’t expect to win an award so soon after starting out. It has given me great confidence for the future of my business.”

Exchange Coffee based in Clitheroe, with a chain of shops across East Lancashire and Yorkshire, gained accreditation for its afternoon tea blend due for release this autumn.

A spokesman said: “We are glad that we have been able to keep up our achievement of winning at least one award every year since 2004.”

Meanwhile in Rossendale, The Real Lancashire Black Pudding Company won the award for its white pudding.

Managing director Andrew Holt said: “It’s great to win but we have lost count as to the number of awards we have received over the years.

“I hope this award will encourage people to try the product because people are sometimes hesitant to try it as they’re not sure what it is.”

Newcomer Nikki Frith from Ramsbottom, who started her Granny Marmalade business last year, also won two awards for three preserves.

John Farrand, managing director of the Guild of Fine Foods said: “In a difficult trading climate and when new product development could have understandably slowed, it’s good to see that British food and drink companies continue to innovate and create new products and that long-established businesses continue to flourish.”