HANCOCKS of Monmouth has come up trumps again at a countrywide meat product competition.

The family butchers on Monnow Street has been going for more than a 100 years of which 40 years Howard Hancocks has run the shop.

He and his wife, Maureen swept the floor at the recent National Meat Products Competition in the Three Counties Showground after winning five awards out of five entries.

Howard's farmhouse sausages, beef burgers and lamb and mint burgers each received gold awards while his traditional sausages and beef sausages took bronze.

All five products were taken out of normal shop production and were not especially prepared for the event.

Howard said: "We used to enter these sorts of competitions all the time about 10 years ago but stopped until about a year ago when we thought we would take it up again. We are over the moon with our awards and it gives our customers confidence that our meats are the best around.

"Our business seems to be booming and especially since the recent horse meat scandal which has encouraged new customers to come in to the shop. All our meat is made on the premises and is sourced locally where possible.

"I am very proud of my staff too. They all work hard to offer great cared for meat at a great price, without compromising on quality, and most of all they serve it with a smile on their face. I think the fact that we care about the quality of meat and our customers' enjoyment was reflected in our success at the competiton."