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Scotland’s haggis making champion, Burntisland butcher Tom Courts, has welcomed the launch of the first ever world championships.

And he has commissioned a unique wooden trophy for the eventual winner.

Tom said winning the world title would be the ultimate feather in any haggis-maker's cap, and whoever is crowned will receive the award crafted by Fife woodworker, Jonnie Crawford.

The championships will be staged in Perth on May 14 when producers from across the globe are invited to compete.

Burntisland butcher Tom Courts launches the 2023 World Haggis Championship. (Pic: Graeme Hart)

Staged by Scottish Craft Butchers (SCB), the competition will see restaurant chefs compete with local butchers and haggis manufacturers vie with farm shops for the coveted title.

George Jarron, president, said: "It's a product that is enjoyed by the Scottish diaspora throughout the world and there are a lot of world class recipes and experts out there. Haggis attracts global recognition so there should be a global award for the best."

The competition will be staged as part of the SCB Trade Fair - a biennial event attended by butchers from across the UK. The first ever champion will hold the crown for two years.

Judges are looking for a 500g traditional Scottish haggis in ball shape - not any speciality products that shift away from the traditional fare.

They will pick five regional winners before including all-comers in the battle for the world title.

And Tom Courts, current Scottish champion, welcomed the event.

"The competition will be fierce," he said. "This is the title everyone wants and there are some amazing recipes out there - many passed down through generations.

"Haggis used to be a peasant food, offering a cheap yet nutritious dish, and it's now a gourmet staple on many top restaurant menus."

Tom said that while all haggis consist of a blend of beef or lamb offal, oatmeal and onions in a natural or synthetic casing, it is the unique blend of spices used by individual makers that help distinguish one product from another.

Tom, immediate past president of SCB, has commissioned a unique wooden trophy for the World Haggis Championship, crafted by Fife woodworker Jonnie Crawford.

Entry forms, along with terms and conditions are at www.craftbutchers.co.uk

Entries close on May 5.

Award-winning Fife butcher hails launch of first ever world haggis championship