A GO-AHEAD Keighley chippy has been named one of the top 50 in the country for the third year running.

Utley Fisheries has been given the accolade by leading industry magazine Fry in its annual UK Fish and Chip Shops Awards.

Owner Ross Tanner is delighted that his tiny chip shop on Birchwood Road was given the honour after scoring highly in several categories.

He said: “This is our third year running, so we’re very proud. A lot of fish and chip shops enter the competition. Fry is the only magazine to run a competition like this.

“The judging is very stringent, with categories like service, first and lasting impressions, staff, payment, and quality of the batter, the fish and the chips.

Utley Fisheries scored 100 per cent in all but two of the 10 main categories.

The final score was based on a visit by a mystery shopper who wrote a detailed four-page report listing more than almost 50 categories.

The assessor said the freshly-cooked, crispy chips and succulent fish were served by a pleasant and friendly staff member.

The assessor said the fish was perfectly cooked, the batter was crisp and crunchy, and the chips were fluffy and cooked through on the inside yet crisp and golden on the outside.

Ross took over Utley Fisheries in 2010 with the help of wife Sandra and sons Ross and Joe.

Ross and Sandra switched careers – he was a communications supervisor for West Yorkshire Police and she was an attendance officer at Guiseley School – when redundancy was on the cards.

Since opening Ross has become renowned for his innovative measures such as selling battered mince pies, Christmas puddings, haggis and German ‘stollen’ pastries during the Yuletide season.

In 2013 Ross commissioned the band Ambulance And Emergency to compose a song entitled An Utterly Utley Christmas to highlight the battered mince.

Utley vicar the Reverend Derek Walmsley, from nearby St Mark’s Church, prayed for the success of the chippy following its refurbishment.

Ross has also run a food and drink quiz for customers to raise cash for Manorlands, and last Christmas he provided a fish and chip feast for the Salvation Army’s weekly community meal.