TWO local butchers have proved they can cut it with the best in the business by picking up a string of awards at the Butchers Roadshow held at the Three Counties Showground.

White and Miller, of Coleford, and Huntley's Country Butchers picked up seven gold awards between them at the Pork Product Excellence Awards organised by BPEX.

The Country Butchers won gold awards for their Yorkshire sausages, dry cure bacon, honey dry cure bacon and pork and apple burgers.

Coleford's White and Miller won gold awards for their smoked back bacon, plain back bacon and black pudding.

Chris Peters has run the family business of White and Miller for 20 years after taking over the reins from his father. He said he was delighted with his total haul of the champion prize, three golds and three silvers.

He said: "I've been producing my own smoked bacon for six years now and my customers can't get enough of it. We use local pigs which really makes a difference to the taste and the traceability of our supply chain, and the smoke house is just 10 miles away from the shop.

"I usually smoke two backs a week but I think I'll need to start doing more to keep up with demand especially now it has been named 'Champion' which I'm thrilled about."

Chris says he is also planning to produce extra pork and apple and pork, leek and chilli burgers, both of which won silver awards.