YOUNG butcher George Taylor has proved to be a cut above the competition by making it through to the finals of a prestigious national contest.

The 22-year-old, who runs the in-store meat counter at Ingleton gift shop, cafe and delicatessen Country Harvest, will join the other finalists at the Meat Trades Journal's Butcher's Shop of the Year awards in London, in November. He is up for the award of Young Butcher of the Year against three other finalists.

And such an accolade has come early to George, who says he had no dreams of becoming a butcher when he was young - but now says he wouldn't dream of doing anything else.

Competition judges visited Country Harvest to see George at work and interviewed him about all aspects of the job - including the making of his "signature" sausage rolls, which are consistently highly praised by the store's customers.

George says: "They are 'herby' but not too strong and all made by us - we're selling several hundred a week and the feedback is excellent. Another big seller is our 'rambler', a cured pork pie with black pudding. I love coming up with the different recipes and it's great that people like them so much."

Indeed, so popular have these proved that they are sold at Country Harvest under the banner Made by George!

George started learning his skills on an apprenticeship with a local butcher after he left school, and on a one-day a week course at Thomas Danby College in Leeds.

He says: "As I got into the job, learning more and more all the time, I really developed a passion for what I was doing. Now I can't imagine doing anything else."

George started work at Country Harvest when his then boss took over the meat counter concession at the shop. When he decided to leave at the end of last year, Country Harvest owner Mike Clark asked George to stay on and run the counter himself.

George and his partner Harriet Phillipson, who works in the Coffee Shop at Country Harvest, Mike and co-owner Gay Penn will attend the awards ceremony in London’s Covent Garden on November 14 when all the winners of the Meat Trades Journal Butcher’s Shop of the Year awards will be announced.

Says George: "I'm really excited - I've never been to London before. And I've had to buy a lounge suit! There's six from the shop going down so it promises to be good. I look on it as a great chance to talk with and learn from people from all over the country in the the same business. It's a great opportunity."

George has helped to build up the the butchery side of the business so much that an apprentice has been taken on. And Country Harvest co-owner Mr Clark says he has never regretted offering the post to George.

"He is a real asset to our business. His work ethic and enthusiasm for what he does is a real credit to him. He has incredible people skills and our customers love him - they always go away with a smile on their face."