ALL eyes were on the pies in Dunfermline as the 21st World Championship Scotch Pie Awards took place yesterday (Wednesday).

More than 75 professional pie makers had their tasty products sampled as a long day of judging commenced.

Entries were judged in 11 categories including: Football Pies & Savouries, Macaroni Pie, Steak Pie, Sausage Roll, Cold Savoury, Hot Savoury, Vegetarian Savoury, Haggis Savoury, Bridie and Apple Pie with the ultimate accolade going to the best Scotch Pie in the world.

Guest judge Scott Kyle, of Outlander fame, said: "Wow, I love a pie but to be surrounded by hundreds and hundreds of pies, savouries and bridies blew me away!

"I was a little worried about taste testing them all, but I got on just fine and I cannot wait for the winners of each category to be revealed.”

The winner of the Scotch Pie category will be declared as the World Champion on January 14 at the Westerwood Hotel, Cumbernauld.

Speaking at the event, Alasdair Smith, chief executive of Scottish Bakers, which manages the competition, said: "Today we judged over 450 entries in the 21st World Scotch Pie Championships, a huge milestone for such an iconic Scottish product.

"And today has shown me once again that all the pie makers from Scotland and further afield who have taken the time to enter have once again excelled in the quality, innovation and passion they put into the products they produce for consumers every day. I would like to thank everyone who entered and I wish them ever success in the competition."