A LEIGH seafood business has been named as one of the very best in the whole of the East of England after being named a big winner at The Great British Food Awards.

Osbornes of Leigh, an over 140-year-old seafood merchant won the gold award at The Great British Food Awards for their “excellent” Lobster Mac and Cheese and Smoked Salt and Chilli.

The awards see businesses submit specific meals and products to compete against others in the region, with industry specialists judging the food.

While the Lobster Mac and Cheese won the top prize, the business also secured a silver award for its fish pie and much-loved cockles.

Manager Sally Osborne, said: “We’ve had bumper results this year and we entered a lot of our ‘at-home’ product ranges, we are committed to developing our business and making great products, we continue to develop our range and we just keep going.

“We have a team that want to do that, and we work with people in the business to make tasty products, like the salts that go along with our cooking, we just feel out brand is about quality.”

Osbornes is a 5th generation family business, headed up by co-owners Graham Osborne and his cousin, Andrew Lawrence, who have both been involved in the business for 16 years old.

“Winning the great taste awards with the gold awards, is in a way, allowing us to be recognised as a business more than before and recognising our team,” Mrs Osborne said.

“It’s always tough, we aren’t complacent but to be recognised in any capacity is very rewarding, when you look at the feedback with the Lobster Mac and Cheese, it was from the buyer of ready meals for Aldi.”

The gold award winning Lobster Mac and Cheese was judged by James Lynch, chilled ready meals buying director at Aldi who said he was “smiling from first bite” of the meal.

Mrs Osborne added that she recommends people try the businesses iconic cockels and try something from their hot seafood menu.

“Personally, I love a crab toastie or a Bacon and Scallop roll, we also launched an Osborne chip butty – our hot menu is really appealing, and it attracts a wider audience of people,” Mrs Osborne said.

Alongside the recognition with the gold awards, Osborne has retained their East Anglia award for the second year running now.