A Dunmow Pie maker which supplies Fortnums and Harrods proved again that they were the upper crust when they won a silver award at the Pie Oscars. Pyes Pies received the award after entering the Melton Mowbray British Pie Awards for a three tier wedding pie called The Bride’s Pie.

The company began in 1980 when John and Zinnia Campling diversified their fruit farm and as well as creating meat pies made fruit pies with their own apple crop. The couple and their daughter Jane Malins started the business which now employs eight people and produces thousands of pies each week.Some 830 pies were entered from pie-makers throughout the UK. Big brands and small independent pie makers competed at St Mary’s Church in Melton Mowbray in April and the winners were announced this week.

Jane Malins, managing director of The Pyes Farm, said: “We were all so thrilled to receive the award, I am very proud of our small team working from Pyes farm to create these masterpieces. We have made them for a lot of weddings now and they go down an absolute storm, everybody loves them and they disappear very quickly.”

Pyes Farm produces hand made pies in over a dozen flavours, including royal game pies, pork pies, Dunmow Flitch pasties, quiches, steamed savoury, sweet puddings and cheesecakes. Their pies have been sold in Harrods since the late 1980s as well as in delicatessens and farm shops across East Anglia. They are previous winners of gold and silver awards.