Butchers are making sure the World Cup goes off with a banger.

Stores across the county have created sizzling sausages in the colours of the England flag or capturing the taste of the nations competing in South Africa.

Lew Howard and Son Butchers in Ringmer have added red and white food colouring to give a patriotic twist to their traditional sausage recipe which has been passed down through three generations of the family butchers for 100 years.

The award-winning butchers in Springett Avenue are promising to keep making their St. George sausages throughout the duration of the tournament and beyond.

Lew Howard, 64, runs the store with his son Darren Howard, 40.

He said: “They have been selling very well, especially when the England games come around.

“If we could get these sausages out to South Africa it would be great to give them to the players, they would give them plenty of energy before they played.” Buts it’s not all about patriotic pride when it comes to sausages as the tournament in South Africa has encouraged meat eaters to get a little exotic in their tastes.

Westdene Butchers in Eldred Avenue, Brighton has seen sales of its South African dried meat biltong increase ten-fold during the tournament.