Landlords at The Ropemakers are on the hunt for the perfect mince pie this Christmas.

John and Geraldine Baker of the West Street pub, are inviting entries into a new competition to raise money for Cancer Research UK.

Mince pies have become a traditional Christmas treat whose ingredients can be traced back to the 13th century, when returning European crusaders brought back Middle Eastern recipes combining meats, fruits and spices.

Early mince pies were known as shred pies, mutton pies or Christmas pies. They were banned during the English Civil War.

John Baker said: “The idea for the competition came out of watching The Great British Bake Off this year.

“The competition is for those who love home baking and are interested in baking themselves rather than buying processed foods or going to the cake shop.

“This follows our policy in The Ropemakers of making everything from scratch, including our own pastry and mashed potato.

“We would encourage everyone to get involved with the competition, which also raises some money for a good cause.”

Mince pie entries are invited for judging by a guest judge on Sunday, December 7 at The Ropemakers. The event will be held at 2pm and the winner will receive a certificate and a bottle of wine, plus a gift voucher from The Ropemakers. Entries cost £2 which will be donated direct to Cancer Research UK.

Entrants will be required to present six individual mince pies for judging and the result will be announced at 4pm on the day.

The judge will be looking for a combination of taste, texture and appearance. Innovation and ingenuity are encouraged. Entry forms are available from the pub or by emailing johnthecelt1@googlemail.com.

For more information call The Ropemakers on 01308 421255.