A PUB landlord whose trade suffered during last year's foot-and-mouth epidemic has triumphed in a national pie-making competition.

Andy Cole, who runs the Wombwell Arms, in Wass, near Thirsk, North Yorkshire, is one of the UK's top six steak pie makers, after he was entered in the competition without him knowing - until the organisers contacted him.

Now he will join five other finalists in Milton Keynes next Tuesday, to cook their pies for the judges.

Mr Cole and his wife, Susan, took over the pub 15 months ago, just before the foot-and-mouth outbreak that caused trade to be lost because of restrictions on the North York Moors.

Mr Cole said: "It's good to know our persistence in staying with the business has paid off.

"The pie is made from a specially adapted recipe put together by our brilliant chef, Andrew Hudson.

"We use local produce and the meat is from local butchers."