THE Cornish have their pasty and Cheddar has cheese, now Wiltshire looks set to create its own culinary landmark - the Salisbury sausage.

In a clandestine session last week, a select gathering of connoisseurs met to let their taste buds choose a sausage worthy of representing this medieval cathedral city.

Still in its formative stages, the Salisbury sausage's full identity is yet to be revealed.

"We'd like to keep the ingredients under wraps until October," said Mary Pocock, tourism manager for Salisbury district council. "But it is likely to be made from pork, which means it can be sourced locally.

"We wanted a sausage because it can be served as part of a Wiltshire cooked breakfast, which is very popular in bed-and-breakfasts, and it would be good to see it feature on the menu of all the good restaurants of Salisbury."

With this in mind, a selection of possible candidates for the Salisbury sausage title were proffered to Paul Bayland, chef at Caf Med in Castle Street.

Mr Bayland is a self-confessed sausage lover and one-time sous chef at the Savoy Hotel in London, but after tasting the line-up he declined to comment on their suitability. He did have a tip, however:

"I've tasted a lot of sausages in my time, and what you need is quality meat and lots of fat - otherwise they risk being too dry," he advised.

Mary Webb, who runs a B&B in Salisbury, was also privy to a morsel of each contender.

"They came in all shapes and sizes, I can tell you," she said. "But I can't help thinking if it's a breakfast sausage it's going to have to be a chipolata.

"People see the idea of a Salisbury sausage as a quirky thing and it really is just a bit of fun," she added.