LYDNEY rare breed specialist butcher Brett Laity of Country Meats went a little red in the face this week – after a Review reader rang in to say that the shop on Lydney High Street was now advertising guinea pigs for sale!

Hot-footing down there to find out if he really was selling 'cavies' alongside his zebra, camel and other rare meats, our Review reporter was braced for the worst-case-scenario – that the new exotic range was to be added to by creatures rather cuter than crocodiles. Whatever next, we thought, hamster ham, gerbil sausages, or even chinchilla pies?

The truth is actually that Brett put up the poster on the inside of the shop door, advertising live guinea pigs as pets for a friend, and hadn't realised that with the door propped open in the warm weather people might think that the critters were actually on the menu...

"Oops! Oh dear, that wasn't meant to look like I'd added guinea pigs to the list of meats we offer. It is a poster for them as pets."

Meanwhile, Brett has been 'absolutely delighted' with the reception that his rare and exotic meats range have been received locally – but some of his customers have been a little puzzled as to where exactly his supplies are coming from.

He told us: "I tell them we pop down to Bristol Zoo once in a while... and some of them even half believed it!"