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Ton of bangers eaten each week

Sue Carr
26/ 1/2006

GLOSSOP folk are going bangers and mad for Mettrick's sausages - consuming almost 27,000 a week!

The 'Best Butcher in England 2005' boasts a 30-strong selection of sausages and sells one ton each week from their High Street and Hadfield shops - around 26,880.

Mettricks has just picked up four gold and three silver awards for their sausage and bacon at the prestigious, national Smithfield Awards.

They also took five golds home from a recent regional competition.

More than 300 butchers took part in the Smithfield Awards which owner John Mettrick compared to the Oscars.

He said: "As a member of the Guild of Q Butchers, we aspire to the highest standards in the trade and to win a Smithfield Award is a tremendous honour.

"We knew we had good products but we also knew we were up against some really good butchers, so we were thrilled to do so well."

Judges tantalised their tastebuds with bangers such as Mettrick's hot Spanish-style pork sausage and wild boar and chive among others.

Varieties also include low-carb, gluten-free and - for those with a strong stomach - the League of Gentlemen special.

John put the secret of his sausage success down to quality ingredients and lots of practice.

He added: "We started out with four of five kinds of sausage but since we started winning awards and our reputation grew, so did the varieties.

"We also get a lot of practice. We've just moved our sausage maker on to something different as he'd been doing it for seven years and was sick of the sight of them!"