FORGET your BLTs, clubs and croque monsieurs – the best sandwich combination has been created by a food technology specialist from Cheddar.

Richard Henderson scooped the sandwich designer of the year award at the British Sandwich Association Awards with his unique, sweet design.

The 42-year-old’s brioche, raspberry, apple and mascarpone toastie combination beat the savoury competition and left its creator ‘shocked’ at his success at the award show on Thursday.

The awards – held at the Lancaster Hotel in London – celebrated the 250th year of the lunchtime favourite which was pioneered by the 4th Earl of Sandwich, who requested cold meat between two slices of bread so he could continue playing cards while eating.

Mr Henderson, who works at the Foodservice Centre in Wedmore Road, Cheddar, said: “I was very surprised and shocked, I didn’t expected to win it.

“I decided that I wanted to do my own thing and go with a sweet sandwich and it’s very important to me that that was the whole thought process behind it.

“I didn’t want to conform to what everybody else was doing, so whether it won or not wasn’t really important to me at first.

“But it still hasn’t sunk in that I have actually won, it’s a really great feeling. Food has always been a passion of mine since a young age so this is very special.”

Jim Winship, the director of the British Sandwich Association, said of Mr Henderson’s design: “Innovation is a critical part of our industry and it is good to see it back on the agenda.”