A Greggs superfan who claims to have scoffed more than 10,000 sausage rolls in her lifetime plans to eat her favourite snack in every one of the bakery's 2,078 shops.
Megan Topping, 27, thought of the idea in late 2019 but it was only during the first national coronavirus lockdown while on furlough that she decided to put her plan in place.
But with its 2,000 plus shops stretching between its birth place in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne in the north east to Plymouth, Devon, 415 miles away in the south west, the mission could take Megan, from Middleton years to complete.
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She said: "I would say that I am completely and utterly Greggs mad. I go almost every day and have done for years. People think this is a bit of a joke, but genuinely Greggs has been important throughout my life and I'm so grateful it exists.
"It sounds crazy, but even if I'm travelling, the first thing I look for is a Greggs. I hope to hit every single one and I've booked some time off work later this year, so I hope to start making real progress towards completing my goal."
Megan has been so committed to fulfilling her pastry dreams that she saved up during lockdown to buy a £1,000 Hyundai i10 2011 car, which she has dubbed the "Greggsmobile" so she can travel more easily to the various locations.
So far, she has visited every Greggs bakery in Greater Manchester - checking off a dozen shops since lockdown ended last summer.
Megan, who says she spends £300 a month in Greggs, said: "I’ve got my Greggsmobile now. I just saved up for the car so I could make this epic sausage roll trek.
"I couldn't be more excited. I work a lot and I wanted to do something fun with my life, so I thought, 'Sod it, why not?' I think it will take a few years at least, but I'm game."
While some people may think she is as flaky as some of her favourite pastries, Megan says she is simply following her one true passion.
She said: "I don’t feel like I’ve lost the plot. We all have a bit of craziness inside us and Greggs sausage rolls are my passion. To whoever thinks I’m bonkers, fine. Just remember, I will be enjoying every single Greggs sausage roll I eat. So, maybe it's not so mad after all!"
Megan started eating sausage rolls at Greggs when she was just 10-years-old and has not looked back. She says the beloved family-owned bakery has been a constant in her life and she could not imagine a world without Greggs.
She said: "I used to get Greggs on the way to school and my teachers always moaned about me eating them all the time. I’ve loved Greggs my whole life.
"Greggs just do it better than any other bakery. Everybody loves Greggs. If I could ever speak to the Greggs family I would just like to thank them, as their bakes have been such a big part of my life. I just appreciate them so much."
Megan eats Greggs for breakfast and lunch before her shifts at work each day and will even try to sneak in a steak bake for her tea if she can.
During the peak of the pandemic, while everyone else was worrying about catching Covid, her main anxiety was whether she would still be able to get her daily dose of Greggs.
She said: "When we first went into lockdown, my main concern was, 'Where am I going to get my Greggs from and how quickly?' Even when I did catch Covid in the summer of 2021, I got Greggs delivered to my house. I can’t live without its pastries.
"Greggs are great for every occasion. If I’m upset, I get Greggs. If I’m tired, I get Greggs. If I need lunch or dinner, I get Greggs. I’ll have Greggs for breakfast, then for lunch and I’ll try to sneak one in for tea.
"On my days off I get Greggs delivered to my house." Despite her seemingly Greggs-only diet, Megan is a slim size 8-10. She also does squats to stay fit - while eating a cheese and onion bake.
Brushing off any health concerns, Megan said: "I’m not worried that I’ll get unhealthy after 2,000 Greggs sausage rolls, as I’m quite healthy now and I eat them all the time. I go for walks with my cocker spaniel Chino, and my job has me on my feet."
A creature of habit, Megan, who says she goes into Greggs before every shift at the pub, will usually get a hefty order of two hot sausage rolls, a vegan sausage roll, a box of filled donuts and a steak bake.
And, if she's feeling like treating herself, she might also get a ham and cheese baguette. She said: "The sausage roll is the best thing Greggs does, hands down. I love it fresh out of the oven.
"It’s still my favourite thing and going strong after all these years. They created one of the best recipes in the world. I’ve been eating sausage rolls since 2005. I have eaten around 10,000 in total - if not more."
Megan, who has even created a spreadsheet to keep track of her progress, said: "I’m looking forward to getting in the car and starting my road trip. I love it, because I will be able to see so much of the UK which I’d never have seen otherwise.
"Visiting Greggs all over Great Britain and eating my favourite sausage rolls in every bakery will be the most fun thing I've ever done and if it gives someone else a laugh along the way, then that's great.
"I never expected to be doing something like this, but here we are - it's not half baked at all!"
