A TOP butcher's shop has begun its second century of trading with gold awards.

There was nothing to beef about at Lakings butchers, of Louth, when champion butcher and gold awards were presented to staff of the Eastgate shop, which celebrated 100 years in business last year.

BPEX Ltd, a subsidiary of the Agriculture And Horticulture Development Board, gave the awards to dessert specialist Pauline French, butcher manager Chris Smith and innovation manager Paul Wright.

A gold award went to Paul for his lamb Wellington, one of a host of new dishes at the shop, which also has a delicatessen selling pastries and cakes.

Owner John Laking said: "I am really pleased. It is down to the staff who did the work.

"I was pleased the judges acknowledged the quality of their work and said they would like to dine out on it."

Mr Smith said: "It is a pat on the back for the shop. We have had our hot food counter going for seven years and we are doing outside catering. We have always had pork products and now we are offering pizzas and lasagne."

He said all the products were locally sourced.