A BUTCHER has picked up four gold awards.

Coates Butchers, in Coxhoe, County Durham, entered six products for this year’s Smithfield Awards and four won gold – its pork and stuffing chipolata, pork and champagne burger, Christmas bacon and wholemeal steak pie.

A total of 479 products from 54 Q Guild butchers nationwide were entered into the awards’ eight categories.

The winners were announced at Butchers Hall, Smithfield, London, by Matthew Fort, the food and drink editor at The Guardian and a judge on the TV series The Great British Menu.

Mr Fort said: “I’ve admired butchers all my life. There’s something about the skill, watching butchers break up a carcass with their calm assurance – it’s like watching a magician at work.

“I think the future can be extremely positive for Q Guild butchers; the emphasis on quality, precision and wisdom – you can’t put too high a price on that.”