SCRUMPTIOUS sausages, cracking kebabs and luscious lamb have helped county butchers to win top prizes at a national ceremony.

Linton Butchers, from East Linton, and North Berwick’s Anderson Quality Butchers both impressed the judges with their tasty treats at the Scottish Craft Butcher Awards.

The evaluation for ready-to-cook and barbecue products took place at Forth Valley College at the end of last month.

The East Linton butcher’s success came with a gold award for its sticky maple chicken kebabs and silver awards for its chicken cordon bleu and lamb ribs coated in a honey and mustard marinade.

Meanwhile, Anderson Quality Butchers came home with a silver award for its beef, cheese and spinach jerk roulade.

Scott Jarron, president of the awards organisers Scottish Craft Butchers, said: “We run these evaluations to recognise the innovation and expertise that goes into the quality products that craft butchers make.

“Customers are becoming increasingly interested in sourcing the very best meat products available and our evaluation aids the customer finding all the good products out there at our specialist butchers.”

Meanwhile, a Port Seton butcher has had the delicious taste of success after scooping an award at the 2019 Scottish Pork Sausage Championships.

McKirdy Brothers on Links Road was announced as champion of the South East of Scotland at the award ceremony, held at the Dewars Centre in Perth.

The contest is held every two years and attracted more than 70 entries.

The family-run business has been in Port Seton since 1982, run by brothers Colin and Richard McKirdy.

This is not the brothers’ first victory, having won the same award in 2005, when they came second in the country.

Colin said: “We took our mum along when we submitted our entry in the morning, she must be our good-luck charm!

“It was too nice a day to hang around though, so we didn’t find out we’d won until later that evening. They decide the winner at around 4pm, which is a long time to wait when the sun is shining!”

“We have won awards with this competition before, and we are currently South East Scotland’s beef sausage champion.”

Douglas Scott, chief executive of competition organisers the Scottish Federation of Meat Traders, said: “These competitions are treated very seriously by the craft butcher sector.

“The recognition usually confirms what the business’ customers already think, but the endorsement is an important reminder of the reasons to make it a habit to shop there and even go out of your way to find these award-winning products.”