PIES made with beef from Herefordshire and Shropshire are delighting customers all over the country.

They are baked by Mad O'Rourke's Pie Factory, a quirky Black Country pub that has been famous for its pies for many years.

But now they are reaching an even wider audience with the launch of an online ordering service called Pies By Post.

Customers can order a selection of six of the pub's best-selling pies for £24 (including delivery) from www.madepiesonline.co.uk.

Ledbury Reporter: Lamb and mint pie from Mad O'Rourke's Pie Factory, Tipton, West MidlandsLamb and mint pie from Mad O'Rourke's Pie Factory, Tipton, West Midlands

They arrive by courier, and there is even the option to include a personalised card with the delivery as a surprise for the recipient. Cooking and storage instructions are also included.

The venture is a response to the coronavirus lockdowns, which has hit the pub hard.

Landlord Peter Towler, who has run Mad O'Rourke's in Tipton for more than 30 years, said: "Covid has pushed us all to think of ways to keep our business open and our staff employed, and we are hoping this venture will enable us to reach new customers and grow our workforce.

"The Black Country has always been our heartland, but with this service we're now getting orders from further afield, including Herefordshire and Shropshire, which is where our delicious beef comes from."

Customers can order six from the following selection:

  • 100 per cent Bullocks Steak Pie
  • Posh 'n' Becks Steak and Stilton
  • Wham Bam Thank You Lamb Minted Lamb
  • Hen Pecked Chicken and Mushroom
  • Andy Murray Chicken Curry
  • Eeny Meeny Beeny Vegan Chilli

We were sent a consignment to review and our verdict – to borrow a Black Country expression – is that they are all 'bostin'!

Mr Towler, 61, said Mad O'Rourke's is now sending out between 400 and 500 pies a week.

He has been so pleased by the success of the venture that he plans to continue when lockdown restrictions are eased on April 12 and his pub's marquee seating re-opens to outdoor customers.