Greggs is set to soon release a vegan version of their popular sausage roll next year, according to a leaked email.

Demand for a meat-free alternative has been considerable for some time and the national bakery chain is said to be undertaking tests behind the scenes.

It follows after a petition by animal rights organisation PETA urged Greggs to launch a “cruelty-free” version of the sausage roll treat, receiving more than 20,000 signatures.

The leaked correspondence reads: “To support you with allergens and the upcoming launch of our vegan sausage roll, we’ve created an Allergen and Vegan Sausage Roll training module.

"We're really excited about the launch of the Vegan Sausage Roll as we know you and our customers will be too."

It’s not yet clear when in 2019 the new version of the sausage roll will be released.