A GREAT Ayton family whose name is synonymous with traditional, high-quality butchering has sold its shop.

Lowthers' shop has been bought by a County Durham firm James Higgins, but its old name and Great Ayton staff will remain.

The Lowthers will retain their small Great Ayton abattoir and continue dealing with local farmers.

Outgoing manager Paul Lowther, 32, grew up in the village and joined the shop 16 years ago, after leaving Stokesley School. He is the third generation to have run it.

The business was originally set up in 1920 by his grandfather, Joseph Lowther, at 39 High Street. Bill Lowther took over in the Fifties. He and wife Gill now live at Chop Gate, but he still does regular work with his son.

The shop was relocated to a former bank building near Great Ayton Methodist Church a few years ago. As ever, business is booming.

But Paul Lowther said his demanding 70-hour, six-day working week had just got too much. "I haven't decided what I'm going to do, yet. But I just need something a bit less-tying. I've been putting in a 70-hour week and had just one week's holiday a year."

He compared his working week to that of other people his age, including his wife, who works for the Post Office.

"The difference between her regime and mine is absolutely massive. I get up at 5.30, start work at 6.30 and usually finish about 5.30 at night. Then there's all the paper work, publicity and even printing labels on the computer," he said.

The shops' existing three full-time and four part-time staff will stay, and another Higgins employee is relocating to the shop.

Bill Lowther will continue to operate the abattoir on a weekly basis with slaughterman Michael Bransby.

"It'll keep my dad occupied. The abattoir was built in 1939 and has been modernised to meet all the EU requirements. And Michael is a real master-butcher. He deals with the whole process of butchering and slaughtering. He's an immaculate worker," said Paul.

He and his father worked at the shop this week, helping the transition. He said the traditional recipes for pies and a 1927 dry-cured bacon recipe written by his grandfather were being handed over with the shop.

His grandfather, Joseph Lowther moved to Great Ayton from Sleights.