A SMALL bakery has rubbed shoulders with some of the country's finest, and come away an award-winner once again.

Thomas's Bakery was presented with two silver and three bronze awards for their pastries in the 2017 British Pie Awards earlier this month.

Brian O'Loughlin, company director for the bakery, has praised the work his staff do.

He said: “It's humbling to see all the manufacturers there for the likes of Waitrose and Marks and Spencer.

“We're only a small business with two shops. It is something for us to get put alongside them.

“Our staff certainly get a sense of fulfillment and our customers are always pleased to hear when we get awards like this.”

The recognition is not the first of it's kind for the bakery, based in Dalton, with shops in Ulverston and Barrow.

Mr O'Loughlin said: “We have a great reputation for our pies in the Furness peninsula. We were even voted Best Pies in Furness by the Hairy Bikers a few years ago and it's a title we still hold.

“This competition runs every year to promote British pies. Every year we enter it and we always do really well.

“We came second in the whole of the UK a couple of years ago in the veggie section.”

The bakery has a strong emphasis on its local roots, and is proud of how their work has come together.

Mr O'Loughlin, who has run the bakery for 14 years, said: “Everyone likes a bit of good news. There's a sense that everyone is holding their breath about Brexit and keeping their pennies tight. Everyone's feeling the pinch.

“All of our staff are local people and they're chuffed their achievements are being acknowledged.

“All our suppliers are local and we use local ingredients. We are a real local firm.”

While others may have secret ingredients or recipies, Mr O'Loughlin believes the key to an award-winning pie is doing the right thing.

He said: “Whatever you do, do it right.

“Make the right portion sizes, the right cuts and treat everybody in the right way. Don't let your business be run by accountants.

“It's not any one thing, it's a combination.

“You have got to say that in any business. If you do the right thing you will succeed. If you try to cut corners then it is a slippery slope.”

Mr O'Loughlin also commented on the latest culinary controversy erupting this week, surrounding Great British Bake Off star Mary Berry's bottomless pie.

Some viewers called her offering a “casserole with a lid”, while the British Pie Awards define it as “filling totally and wholly encased in pastry.”

Mr O'Loughlin said: “She wouldn't have been the first to do that, but you could say it is the lazy way.

“That is where the skill comes into play. The skill is getting the pastry right and the right thickness.

“We like to be able to eat as we're walking along, going to football matches or, back in the day, going down the mine - and that's where pies come from.

“The bottom is an important part of the manufacturing. If you can't do that then you are not making a proper pie.”