LISHMAN’S Butchers in Ilkley flew the flag for Wharfedale in the Butchers Q Guild Smithfield Awards, a high profile event that is held aloft as the Guild’s annual ‘Oscars.’

Winners were announced at a ceremony in Ironmongers Hall, London, when the awards were presented by the food writer and critic Tom Parker Bowles.

There was a diamond coup for Lishman’s Butchers with the Leeds Road shop’s marmalade glazed ham, the ready to eat meat and roasts category overall champion, which was awarded maximum marks by the judges.

“These are fantastic for festive buffets such as Easter and Christmas, christenings and other special occasions,” said Emma Lishman, who joined her father David in the business in November, 2015.

Emma, 27, was personally responsible for choosing most of this year’s Smithfield Award products, which claimed an eight-strong gold awards coup for the Leeds Road shop.

The others were Lishman’s thick pork sausage, smoked streaky bacon, chicken balti chef’s pie, traditional pork pie, and three gluten-free products - Yorkshire coppa, smoked salami, and beef and red wine pepperoni.

Lishman’s Butchers was established over 30 years ago and is famed for its pork products, pies and home-made salami. David said: “We continue to source the majority of our meat from established Yorkshire farms in support of our regional farmers who share our commitment to husbandry, welfare and outstanding quality. Ultimately, we know, trust and respect the farmers we buy from.

“None of our latest Smithfield accolades would have been possible without the continued hard work and dedication to high quality produce from the whole team at Lishman's.”

Open to the Q Guild’s 123 members nationwide, the 2017 Smithfield Awards attracted a record entry of almost 600 individual products, a major increase on the previous year, from 61 butcher businesses from the Scottish Highlands down to the south coast.

Tom Parker Bowles told the butchers: "A town or city without a proper butcher is town without a heart."