A FISH and chip shop in Bury St Edmunds has been named the best in Suffolk and Norfolk in a competition to find the nation's best fryers.

The Deep Blue Fish and Chip shop in the Hardwick Shopping Centre battered the opposition to be crowned regional champion in this year's Seatrade battle of the chippies.

Judges from the Seatrade organisation had to munch their way through mountains of fried fish before choosing the winners.

Owners Laura and Ricky Long said they were thrilled with the award which comes in the same year they tied the knot in Fort Worth, Texas.

Mrs Long said: “It's been a wonderful year for us, first getting married and then finding the shop had done so well in the competition. We work hard to provide top quality fish and chips to really look after our customers and this makes it all worthwhile.”

The couple met when Mrs Long moved from Texas, USA, eight years ago and applied to work in a fish and chip shop in Cambridge where she met her manager and future husband Ricky.

Since marrying the couple moved to Bury to become joint managers of the Deep Blue shop.

Regular customer Andrea Golding, a child development officer for the NHS, said: “Not only is it delicious food, they also do gluten free fish and chips and we always come here for food when we are having team meetings.”

Mr and Mrs Long - both dedicated Chelsea fans - will celebrate their achievement on December 8 with two tickets for the Champions League match against Apoel Nicosia at Stamfrord Bridge, courtesy of Deep Blue's managing director James Low.