SAUSAGE rolls have spelled out success for a North Yorkshire bakery.

Helmsley-based Thomas the Baker, which has shops all over the county including in York and Selby, is proud of its sausage roll.

The company sells over three million sausage rolls a year and the snack recently won an independent taste test for the fifth time. Thomas the Baker's sausage roll was voted the outstanding winner for taste, filling, freshness, pastry and sausage meat content in the test at Thomas Danby College, in Leeds.

"We have always regarded the sausage roll as one of our prized products ever since we started nearly 23 years ago. To come top for the fifth time confirms that we are still maintaining the quality for our sausage rolls," said director Simon Thomas.

The taste test was conducted food technology students at the college. Thomas the Baker received 250 points followed by their nearest rivals, Tesco, with 201 points.

Third place was given to Marks & Spencer with 198 points.

Sausage rolls from Safeway got 180 points while the snacks from Sainsbury received 157 points.

Steve Simpson, production director at Thomas's, said: "I think that all the supermarkets have improved their standards in baking products over the years. However, I was delighted to hear that every taster voted Thomas's as the best, so we are still out on top. Judging by our sales, there are plenty of our customers who are still enjoying a tasty snack of our sausage rolls."

Thomas the Baker was founded by John and Val Thomas and their family, nearly 23 years ago.

Updated: 09:50 Friday, June 25, 2004