FISH friers Elaine and Tony Jordan have given up any hope of battering the competition in a national award scheme, so they have givengave away a tasty prize of their own.

The couple, owners of the Old Mill Hill Chippy, have entered the Chip Shop of the Year Awards 2003, but have given up hope that the results in September will be on their side, after entering the competition a whopping six times before.

So the chirpy chippers have picked their very own customer to win the equivalent of the competition's top prize -- a chip shop dinner for one person every week for a year.

The couple have never got past the regional heat stages of the competition, organised by the National Federation of Fish Friers.

Now, Elaine is willing to concede. She said: "We have got no chance of winning because it is always the big fish people with their glamorous shops who charge double what we do."

"It would be very prestigious, but we still boast some great customers who are really friendly."

The couple invited the Lancashire Evening Telegraph to select the winner -- mum-of two and grandma-of-four Catherine Wright, of Shorrock Lane, Blackburn.

Catherine said: "Well, I have plenty of mouths to feed so am really happy to have won."