CODFATHERS of fish and chips have got a chance to secure the top plaice in a national competition.

Bosses at Henley’s in Wivenhoe hope it will be a case of third time lucky after it was announced they would be competing against nine other shops across the country to be crowned Independent Fish and Chip Shop of the Year.

It comes after the shop was named the best in London and the South East.

David Henley, owner of Henley’s of Wivenhoe, said: “We’re absolutely ecstatic to have reached the top 10 for a third time – here’s hoping its third time lucky.

“Henley’s is a real family affair – my wife Lisa and son Kieran both work with me and our manager Dave and assistant manager Ryan are father and son.

“It would be the pinnacle of our careers to be crowned the national winners – the awards really are the Oscars of our industry and we would be thrilled to act as ambassadors for the wider fish and chip world.

“The calibre of the competition has been extremely high in recent years so it’s a massive achievement to come this far - here’s hoping we can go all the way.”

Henley’s was judged on its menu, sustainable sourcing policies and staff training.

In order to win the top prize, staff will be quizzed on industry topics and demonstrate how they successfully run a profitable business.

It is the third time Henley’s has been up for the award.

Staff previously battled it out in 2013 and 2011 but narrowly missed out.

This time around it will have to fight off competition from Lancaster, Lincoln and Moray in Scotland.

The winner will be announced in London on January 26.