Three local bakers in the Chilterns region are celebrating after winning Real Bread Awards from the Chiltern Society.

Its overall winner was the Rex Bakery, Little Chalfont, set up by a former financial services worker, Glenn Stephens. He opened his bakery shop in 2015.

The South Chilterns winner was artisan bakery Burgers of Marlow, a third-generation family bakery. Meanwhile, the North Chilterns winner was Jo’s Loaves of Luton, a five-year-old business that started out as a hobby for owner Jo Bottrill.

The awards, sponsored by NFU Mutual, celebrate bread that is made using traditional methods, containing no artificial additives.

The judging took into account taste, texture, appearance, locally sourced ingredients, customer experience and whether the bread was baked without additives and using traditional methods.

The Chiltern Society is a registered charity, set up to maintain the environment of the 650 square mile Chilterns region, supporting local farming and food production.