It's national Oatcake Day - August 8th - and there's at least one Alsager resident who is delighted with their very presence.

Alsager Town Council chair and poet, Cllr Philip Williams, is a convert to the much-loved traditional Staffordshire delicacy.

Cllr Williams was first introduced to them during visits to his late wife's parents in Congleton where they were served up for lunch or a light tea.

Nowadays Cllr Williams, who won the Cheshire Prize for Literature recently, makes his own filling for them at home.

Cllr Phil Williams

"My favourites are honey or bacon, tomato and cheese or a friend egg.

"I do have them from time-to-time and used to love buying them from a popular eaterie called Oat Cuisine in the Potteries.

"I've heard of oakcakes being sent to Wales and Spain. They are a delicacy," said Cllr Williams.

Since 2010, every year on 8th August a special day celebrating the Staffordshire Oatcake takes place.  

Cllr Williams recently won the Cheshire Prize for Literature. Will he be writing a poem about oatcakes?

Celebrities such as Ricky Gervais and singer Jamie Cullen are known to be oatcake fans.

Made from oatmeal, flour and yeast to make a dense pancake it is cooked on a griddle, "backstone" or "baxton" and dates back to the 19th century, where it was baked over an open fire.