Rinse the beans, place in a large bowl, cover with 1 litre of cold water and leave to soak at room temperature overnight - 8-12 hours is ideal.

In the morning, drain the beans, rinse again and place in a large, heavy-based saucepan. Cover with 1.5 litres of cold water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, skim off any froth for the top of the water and cook, stirring occasionally for 60-90 minutes. The cooking time will depend on the age of your beans, so start checking to see how tender they are at around the 45-minute mark.

To make the sauce, heat the oil and butter in a large frying pan. Cook the onions gently for 5 minutes until softened but not browned. Add the carrot and celery and continue to cook until softened. Add the garlic (if using) and cook, stirring for 1 minute.

Pour in the tomatoes and vinegar, then add the sugar, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce paprika and salt, stir to combine, then simmer until the sauce has reduced. Season to taste. If you want a smooth sauce, you can use an immersion or stick blender to puree it at this point.

When the beans hare cooked and tender, drain, then add to the sauce with 250ml of water. Simmer for 15-20 minutes until the sauce has thickened. Taste and add a little more sugar, salt or vinegar to taste.

Serve on buttered toast, or go the full English and serve with bacon, fried eggs, sautéed mushroom and black pudding!