A LARGS butcher has 'raised the steaks' to grab a pair of national industry awards.

AD Paton in Aitken Street secured two gold awards for their delicious haggis-based products in the Scottish Craft Butchers Haggis Products Awards 2019.

The honours were won by the butcher's stuffed pork chop with haggis and pepper sauce and their haggis and black pudding olives with salt and pepper crumb - marking them out as among the best of their type in Scotland.

Delighted owner Scott Paton, a fifth generation butcher, explained that their traditional family haggis always proves a winner and said new and innovative products featuring the spicy delicacy can help promote Scotland's national dish all year round.

He told the News: "This business has been in the family since 1840 and we've always used our own haggis recipe - just tweaking it slightly to conform to modern tastes.

"We never reveal our secret though - it's enough to say that we only use freshly-shot haggis!

"We came up with a few new ideas for the awards which we tried and tested with staff and customers. They received good feedback so we'll be happy to feature them throughout the year.

"Doing well in these awards means our peers and the industry really rate our products - and the customers love to try award-winning produce."

A D Paton was one of around 60 butchers from all over Scotland who submitted a wide variety of handcrafted products, which were all judged blind.

Douglas Scott, Chief Executive of Scottish Craft Butchers, said judges had been "blown away" by the innovation and tastiness of the the local butcher's efforts.

He said: "2019 is the Year Of The Haggis and we wanted to encourage butchers to offer their customers delicious alternatives for their Burns Supper feast.

"Scotland's butchers have risen to that challenge magnificently and shown the versatility of haggis.

"Judges were impressed by just how novel some of the highly rated products were and they will, without a doubt, see haggis on the menu for many households throughout this entire year.

"Identifying the very best is of immense importance since these are the products that enthusiasts will travel big distances to source.

"Awards are not given out lightly, every one of the butchers recognised can be rightly proud of their products and their customers can purchase with high expectations of great taste."