A whole Stilton cheese has pride of place on the Bell Inn's bar

The Cambridgeshire village is famous for giving its name to the so-called "king of cheeses", though it has not historically been made there.

Stilton has to be made within Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire.

The restriction is governed and policed by the UK Trading Standards Office, which granted a certified trademark to the cheese in the 1960s.

The news has disturbed regulars at the Bell Inn - locally said to be the first pub to offer Stilton cheese for sale - who fear the plans would ruin the brand's image.

Olive May said: "It's quite ridiculous; we've had the name Stilton cheese for going on 300 years.

"It has to be made in certain parts of Leicestershire - it can't be made anywhere else by law."

European products

EC Protected Designation of Origin legislation was introduced in 1996 to protect the Stilton name throughout Europe.

Some regionally-famous items in the EU, such as cognac and champagne, are not linked so much with their country of origin so much as to their local birthplaces.

But commissioners believe a "made in the EU" stamp would empower products like Stilton as "global" entities and help to promote European products around the world.

As plans stand, draft legislation for the labelling changes could be ready sometime after March.