A Cornish pasty-maker living in the US is set to make a 'pilgrimage' back to Cornwall for the Eden Project World Pasty Championships in March.

Mike Amery, born in St Austell but now resident in Pennsylvania, will be returning for the third annual competition on March 1, having competed every year and been awarded the Pasty Ambassador award, along with his friend Louisa Haggerty.

To celebrate his imminent return he baked a batch of Christmas pasties for General George Washington in a Christmas Day re-enactment 1776 crossing of the Delaware River, close to his home.

Mike said: "As a Cornishman who has lived in the US for many years, returning to the World Pasty Championships has become a sort of pilgrimage for me.

"I was happy to be named Pasty Ambassador at this year's competition although I do have my sights set even higher this year so the Cornish crimping collective will need to stay on top of their game to be victorious."

Registration is now open for the World Pasty Championships 2014 and potential pasty participants can enter in one of eight categories. Categories are split between those who would like to make a traditional Cornish pasty, which abides by strict guidelines and is made in Cornwall, and those who want to make any other type of savoury pasty.

Once the competitors have decided on which type of pasty to make, they can enter the individual competition as a professional baker or chef, an amateur, or as a junior aged 15 or under. There are also categories for companies: bakeries, butchers, pubs, shops or any other business that makes pasties to sell.

Anyone who would like to enter the competition, which includes a full programme of entertainment and is backed by the Cornish Pasty Association, can do so by visiting www.edenproject.com or by calling the Eden box office on 01726 811972. Entry costs £10 per adult category or £5 for the junior categories.