A firm of butchers is piloting a range of top-quality cuts of beef and lamb - all from farms in the Tees Valley.

Newboulds is the only butcher offering the St George's Shield cuts for the English Beef and Lamb Executive (Eblex). If successful they will go on the market nationwide.

The meat is described as a range of premium, succulent local cuts that leave no waste on the plate.

The 150-year-old company - now owned by Country Valley Foods, of Hurworth Moor, near Darlington - was asked to pilot the cuts using its Grand Reserve beef and lamb.

Grand Reserve is produced by selected local farmers who rear beef and lamb to agreed high standards and specifications.

The brand offers full traceability and carries the Eblex Quality Standard Mark (QSM), which recognises superb eating quality.

QSM meat is also fully assured and independently inspected at every stage from the farm to the butcher's shop.

Gary Evans, retail development manager for Newboulds, said it was a great honour to pilot the cuts.

He said: "It gives us the opportunity to highlight our excellent butchering skills with these new products for the next three months," he said.

Mr Evans is based in the Newboulds butcher's shop in the Cleveland Centre, Middles-brough.

He said supermarket meat was often imported or of vague origin.

He said: "We can say our meat is not only all English, but all local too.

"Grand Reserve beef and lamb comes from cattle and sheep which have been naturally reared.

"The farmers we work with use traditional farming and husbandry techniques with their herds and hand-pick only the best for the Grand Reserve label."

Country Valley Foods introduced the brand a year ago, since when it has gone from strength to strength.

Edward Munro, managing director, said: "Country Valley has gone from a £60,000 a week business to £120,000 a week, and Grand Reserve has gone from nothing to £20,000 a week."

Newboulds has 14 shops - from Billingham to Redcar and Stokesley to Guisborough - and is proud of its local supplies.

Mr Evans said: "We handle 75 beasts a week and because they are local we can select them at the right time.

"We only take the cream of the crop, which supermarkets simply cannot do."

Mr Evans also said customers also like to support local farmers.

"The response in Guisborough and Stokesley in particular has been overwhelming," he said.

Newboulds has also just won a £50,000 contract to supply ten Asda stores in Teesside and Darlington with its own brand thin pork sausages made from an original recipe.