A QUEST to find the nation's tastiest roast beef dish brought television chef Brian Turner to the region on Thursday.

Mr Turner was at Melton's Too restaurant in Walmgate, York, for the Yorkshire cook-off event of his nationwide tour.

He sampled three dishes and declared Janine Lishman-Peat's roast rib of beef with anchovies the winner. Janine, from Wakefield, received a cheque for £250 for her chosen charity, Wakefield Hospice.

Her roast beef dish will now be judged against winners of two other cook-offs in the North-East and Yorkshire, with the overall winner taking part in a national cook-off challenge in London on St George's Day, Friday, April 23.

Ms Lishman-Peat said: "I think roast beef is a fantastic dish, not to mention a great English institution and I'm chuffed to bits that Brian liked my version so much."

Mr Turner's tour is part of a campaign by the English Beef and Lamb Executive to encourage people to celebrate St George's Day with roast beef -considered to be England's national dish.

Mr Turner said: "The quality of the roast beef dishes we tasted here has been outstanding and will be pretty hard to beat as we continue the tour.

"What's more, I have been really bowled over by people's enthusiasm and pride in our national dish."