DEVIZES butcher Steve Cook has proven his shops are a cut above the rest by being named the best in Britain on Monday evening.

Mr Cook, who runs Walter Rose & Son, is no stranger to awards but this week even he was almost lost for words. He said: "We have won the southern title before but I wasn't really expecting to win again.

"So I was delighted when we took that award. But when they announced we had won the overall one against all the other regional winners I couldn't believe it.

"We were celebrating for a long time. It is really fantastic. We were up against some very stiff opposition."

He was joined at the awards ceremony by his younger son Charlie and butcher Paul Underwood. His elder son Jack, who went with him to last year's awards, stayed behind to help mind the business.

It is possibly this family dedication to the shops in Devizes and Trowbridge that helped gain the top title in the awards run by Meat Trades Journal that are recognised as the Oscars for butchers.

The judging involved a visit by a secret shopper and an intense examination by judges who made a planned visit. Mr Cook, who is a third generation butcher, said he thought the judges wanted shops to show excellent customer service and innovation.

He said: "It is important that we show that we are always staying ahead of the game. This award is all about the retail side of the business and how we serve our customers' needs."

Mr Cook is also a big supporter of the community and has been a major backer of the Gazette's Julia's House appeal. His shop created a special Julia's House sausage and gave the profits to the appeal.

His range of products includes a number of unusual cuts of meat and much of it comes from animals farmed within a few miles of the shop.