KILWINNING’S Kandy Bar bakery has made the shortlist of the 22nd World Championship Scotch Pie Awards.

It follows the annual judging day held earlier this month when over 70 butchers and bakers delivered more than 400 of the nation’s best pies for judging by over 50 experts in their field.

The Kandy Bar, which also has branches in Saltcoats and West Kilbride, has already won the big pie award in recent years - and hope to challenge the best in the country to take the title again.

As always, the judges were looking for pie perfection across entrants in 11 categories; Scotch Pie, Football Pies & Savouries, Macaroni Pie, Steak Pie, Sausage Roll, Cold Savoury, Hot Savoury, Vegetarian Savoury, Haggis Savoury, Bridie and Apple Pies and the winner will be announced at a prestigious lunch on January18 at the Westerwood Hotel, Cumbernauld hosted by Carole Smilie.

Alasdair Smith, Chief Executive of Scottish Bakers., told the Times this week: “It’s the first inkling our entrants get that their pies have been judged to be the best of a very good field, so it is with great pleasure that we can announce that The Kandy Bar Bakery has made it through.”