A LOCAL butchers is bidding for national glory after it was named as a regional winner in the fifth Countryside Alliance Awards.

Johnson’s of Thirsk, on Kirkgate, won the Daily Telegraph Traditional Business Award recently in the competition.

The butchers now goes through to the awards grand final where they will take on the other regional winners.

Andrew Trueman, owner of Johnson’s, said: "We were nominated by one of our customers and we’re really pleased to have won.

"It’s nice that one of our customers, we don’t know who, has nominated us for it. We were up against the whole of Yorkshire and we are very surprised to have done so well."

The Countryside Alliance Awards celebrate the characters, skills, traditions and enterprise of the countryside.

Steve Clark, the awards head judge, said: "With a combined staff of nine all of whom have been with the business for many years and have been trained in house their butchery skill is second to none.

"In addition to selling traditional cuts of locally sourced meat and game the business has expanded and is trading on reputation for quality, value for money and service."

Details on the awards and 2009's winners at www.countrysideallianceawards.co.uk and the national winners are named on February 3, at the Houses of Parliament.