Leamington and Baginton butchers are a cut above the rest

Winning butchers Michael Perkins (left) and Martin Crombie with Aubrey Allen managing director Russell Allen, who was also at the competition to support the pair. Founded in 1933, the firm supplies around 400 restuarants and pubs.

Aubrey Allen pair Martin Crombie and Michael Perkins represented England in the European Butchery Competition in Lyon. In the four-hour competition they had to produce a winning platter in the type of cut known as seam butchery, which the French are historically masters at.

Martin is head butcher at the firm’s shop in Warwick Street, Leamington, while Michael works at head- quarters in the Middlemarch Business Park, near Baginton, and specialises in wholesale butchery.

Now both in their 40s, they started off as Aubrey Allen apprentices, and Leamington shop manager Simon Kelly said: “We’re a great company to work for – not many leave us.”

Mr Kelly, who was at the competition to cheer them on, said: “We are very, very proud of them. It was like winning the FA Cup on the day.”

The pair beat off four French teams and from other countries, including Switzerland and Belgium.

They were judged on the cut of the meat and their commercial use of the meat, their team work and presentation.

Michael performs regular butchery demonstrations for top chefs, including Heston Blumenthal and Raymond Blanc’s teams.

Aubrey Allen holds a Royal Warrant as a meat supplier to the Queen, owns Oscar’s Bistro in Leamington, and encourages enquires about its an award-winning apprenticeship scheme.