Owner of Crumps butchers in Ashwell is Jonathan Crump (left) with master butcher Graham Johnston.

A BUTCHER from Ashwell has raised the steaks by coming second in a regional competition.

Crumps Butchers in Mill Street was runner-up in the Countryside Alliance award for Best Butcher, a prize contested by the entire East Anglia region.

Owner Jonathan Crump said: “We are very proud of this as its reward for our hard work. We were nominated by our local customers so our thanks must go out to them.

“We were hopeful of winning but as it’s over such a wide area this is still a great achievement.”

A representative visited the shop to ask about suppliers and the local origin of their products, which is something that has always been a tradition for Crumps.

“We buy all our produce locally, within East Anglia,” said Mr Crump. “Our lambs come from Bygrave, and our veal from Ashwell and Melbourn.

“We have always been proud of this. My grandfather and father used to run the shop and would walk the animals back from local farms to be slaughtered here.

“We cant do that anymore, but still get all our meat from this area.”

Although Mr Crump was pleased with second place, he would have liked first spot because of the prize on offer.

He said: “A butcher from Norfolk won and they get to go to a garden party at the House of Commons, while we must settle for a sticker in our window!”