A 73-YEAR-old County Durham pie-maker and his wife have been shortlisted for British Turkey Butcher of the Year 2004.

Ian Grainger, known to his friends as the "Mad Pie Man", runs North Country Lass at Meadowfield with his wife Margaret.

The couple, who have triumphed over some of the nation's biggest butchers to reach the competition final, have been invited to a champagne reception and dinner at Claridge's in London on September 23 when the winning company will be announced out of the three on the shortlist.

Mr Grainger, who lives in Wood Lane, Ferryhill, is a former Royal Navy butcher and chef. After his service, he became a chef at a hotel, first in Carlisle and then near Keswick, where he met Margaret who was working in a local bakery.

"Whatever happens, I'm really chuffed to make the final," he said.

"I had always wanted to make a business out of baking pies I invented when I was working in London. We started selling gateaux and game pies to hotels in the Lake District and soon we were wholesaling outlets from Cornwall to Aberdeen."

British turkey is used in several pies made by the company, including a rich pie called Grunt, Gobble, Zoom and Coo, which consists of wild boar, turkey, hare and pigeon in red wine and brandy.

The Duke of Edinburgh once sampled the dish at the Lowther Horse Driving Trials in Cumbria.

"He seemed to enjoy it very much," said Mr Grainger, who is a well-known personality at farmers' markets and agricultural shows throughout the North-East and is a member of regional food group Northumbrian Larder.

North Country Lass and its sister company, Cumbrian Lass, have opened up a much wider market for game.

"It's no longer the preserve of the very wealthy," said Mr Grainger.

He and his wife are probably best known for their Cumberland game pie and their Prince Bishop pie. They also produce various pies with steak and stilton, steak and ale, and ale with smoked oysters.