A HOT mustard made in Oxfordshire has been voted one of the top five in the UK.

Bruce Young, of Shaken Oak Products based in Hailey, near Witney, sent away a few samples of his mustard to the Great British Food Magazine, in hope that they would appeal to critics and be included in the October publication.

A former teacher, Mr Young started producing hand-made mustards at Shaken Oak Farm in the early 1990s.

He said: “My experiences of English mustards when I was young were not entirely memorable. It was only when I started travelling to other parts of Europe that I realised the diversity of mustard and the different ways it could be used. I was determined to develop some unique flavours that would appeal to the English palette.”

The Great British Food Magazine is one which tries to promote the image of British foods. Each month it tests products from across the UK to choose the best to share with readers.

Mr Young, who lives on the farm, added: “I sent samples of my mustard in, and other people did too.

“They chose the top five and picked my Hot and Smooth Mustard.

“We have been a very small company and I was competing with large companies. I’m very chuffed. I’ve been going for 15 years now and we sell to 60 shops online.”

The judges said the mustard added both colour and flavour to dishes, while the “satisfying heat” hit exactly the right notes.