A TASTE of the Mediterranean has made a North-East sandwich-maker the toast of the region.

Middlesbrough-based Bramble Foods scooped the British Sandwich Designer of the Year Award, thanks to filling supremo Mark Arnold's tasty, but healthy, creation he calls The Italian Job.

He picked up the prize at the annual Sammies - British Sandwich Industry - awards dinner, held at London's Intercontinental Hotel.

Mr Arnold decided to tempt the taste buds after being inspired by the growing demand for Mediterranean diet foods.

But he added a native twist by using Leskol, the latest healthy cheese alternative, from Somerset.

The Italian-themed sandwich starts with slices of extra-thick malted bread, with a fresh chive pesto spread on the base, followed by slices of Leskol, covered in fresh chives, Italian slow-roast tomatoes and topped with seasonal salad leaves, including rocket, radicchio and lollo rosso.

The firm, which produces about 80,000 to 90,000 sandwiches a day, also picked up the Suffolk Foods Hot and Spicy Sandwich Designer of the Year, for its Jack in a Wrap, and the Wyke Farms Leskol Sandwich Designer of the Year, for The Italian Job.

Liz Rusk, head of personnel and training at Bramble Foods, said: "We make a whole range of sandwiches, but it is always good to have our work recognised. These three awards build on the two we won last year."