Strange flavours 'perc up' hunt for Britain's best cup of coffee

The two-day North and Midlands heat of the UK Barista Championship began yesterday at the city's Millennium Galleries, with 12 competitors attempting to impress six judges.

Another 12 hopefuls were due to face the panel today, all aiming to win a place in the national final and then the international final, in London.

Among the entrants yesterday afternoon was Sarah Ludlow, 33, who has practised her art as the manager of the coffee shop at Sheffield's Weston Park Museum.

Speaking before she took to the stage she said: "I am a bit nervous, and I have tried not to drink too much coffee during preparation so that I am not too jittery during the competition.

"I have just tried to go over and over it in my mind and I am quite confident because coffee is a very big part of my life, not just my work life but also my social life when I meet friends."

Each competitor had 15 minutes to make four espressos, four cappuccinos and four "signature drinks" to impress four "taste judges".

Their every move was also scrutinised by two "technical judges" who watched the way they used the coffee machine, marking them on presentation and how they cleaned up.

Mrs Ludlow said her signature drink was toffee apple macchiato, which was made with toffee sauce and apple juice and included milk on the top.

The word barista comes from the Italian for bartender, but has been adopted by cafe and coffee shop staff over the past decade.

David Veal, who helped organise the competition and runs coffee company Cafe Sienna from Rotherham, said he had tried some strange brews.

He added: "One competitor used Tabasco sauce and another added garlic, which was surprisingly good with the coffee, but left a rather nasty aftertaste in the mouth.

"If a barista from Yorkshire can win this competition, it not only means glory among their colleagues, but can also lead to opportunities to earn and develop their own businesses."