CELEBRITY chef and professional cheat Delia Smith has given her seal of approval to a chilli jam made by the Malmesbury-based company Tracklements.

Her How To Cheat cookbook, released earlier this year, named the jam as an ideal accompaniment to calamari.

Guy Tullberg, managing director of Tracklements pictured, has upped production of the jam to cope with the Delia effect' on sales which has seen a regular retailer double their usual order and internet sales are rising.

He said: "She has been a fan of Tracklements for a long time and she knows my father.

"The jam is savoury and she has recommended it as a dip with calamari.

"It can be used with anything where you want that hit of chilli. We use fresh chilli which really gives it a kick."

Tracklements supplies its range of chutneys, pickles and sauces to stores across the UK, including a range to Harrods and it also exports further afield to South Africa, Canada and Australia.

All the chilli jam jars are now are going out with the Delia quick cheat sticker on them.

Mr Tullberg said: "We aren't looking to fill gaps in the market. If we can make something fresh that our friends like then that's a job well done. We have a very solid following and it was even better to be featured in Delia's book."

The company began in 1970 when Mr Tullberg's father William, made his own mustard and now the company employs 40 people with an annual turnover of £4 million. Although the company has recently moved to new 26,000 square foot premises the products are all still handmade.

"We still make them all to taste. Someone still stands over a boiling pot and says it is ready when it tastes right. We wouldn't get the homemade taste if it was mass produced.

"You wouldn't get me out of bed in the morning if I thought the products were not homemade."

Visit www.tracklements.co.uk for information.