Germany have staged a national barbecuing competition to find the country's best sausage griller. A total of 24 chefs battled it out on Sunday in the western German town of Monheim am Rhein.

The competition was divided into five categories: sausage, fish, spare ribs, meat and dessert. To win one of the honors, the contestants had to wow members of a 20-strong jury, who included the current Miss Germany.

They judged the cooks according to the taste of the dish, its originality and its presentation. The chefs could also score points for safety and cleanliness.

Robert Meyer, president of the German Barbecue Association, the organizer of the annual competition, said the event's aim was to encourage people to try their hand at new dishes. "We want to generate an 'aha' effect and get more people to be more inventive when they grill," he said.

The winner of this year's championship was Peter Dölker, from Reutlingen, and his team "Bush-Food-Griller." Dölker was also last year's winner.