North Yorkshire and its appeal as a place to live and work was showcased on the BBC's popular Escape to the Country today.

As part of a bid to find a new home for £450k for a retired teacher who had fallen in love with North Yorkshire, presenter Nicki Chapman used the search to explore the country, its food and jobs in the area.

Her travels took her to towns and villages, such as Thirsk and Sowerby, as well as to Heck!, the sausage manufacturer where Nicki helped to make and then taste a vegan banger.

While there, she also visited the business's £100,000 vertical farm unit, looking at how the company is reducing food miles by growing its own spinach and basil for its vegan range. It previously imported basil from the south of Spain.

York Press:

Nicki Chapman, from BBC's Escape to the Country, in the vertical farm at Heck in North Yorkshire  Picture: Glen Minikin

Heck! co-founder Jamie Keeble, whose grandfather farmed the land which is now all arable, said they started the sausage business in 2012 but went on to discover that pig farming was 'not the most profitable market'.

In 2016, Heck! started to produce vegan sausages, and vegan products now make up 10 per cent of the business.

York Press:

Nicki Chapman, from BBC's Escape to the Country, with Jamie Keeble, of Heck in North Yorkshire   Picture: Glen Minikin

After the programme, Jamie said: “It was great to show Nicki around. There are some amazing food companies in this area – it’s like a Silicon Valley of food. And we also work really hard to give the best opportunities to make HECK a fun and flexible place to work.

"It’s hard work making sausages, as Nicki found out, but we make sure our team have the best environment to work in.”

As part of Heck's ongoing sustainable mission, the company has recently included climate labelling on its packaging, so that consumers can base their purchases on how they impact the environment.