A popular butchers’ shop in Poulton has been voted the best in Lancashire.

D&K Meats, on Ball Street, won the accolade as part of England’s Business Awards, a regional awards initiative which promotes excellence and culminates in a national final each year.

Damion Crook, 42, who runs the business with wife Kelly, 40, reckons the success comes down to the prime Scottish beef sourced by the couple - and then knowing how to ensure it is made tender and tastes better.

He said: “It was a proud moment for us.

“We went down to a hotel in Manchester for the awards ceremony and it was the same night England were in the Euro final.

“I was able to catch some of the match and it was a disappointment, to be honest, losing 1-2 to Spain.

“But when we won the award, it really made up for it - when you work hard in business, it’s great when people recognise you’re doing a good job.”

The couple source their beef from three different farms in Scotland, and Damion says that makes a difference to the quality of meat.

Once they receive the beef, they then use a special dry-ageing freezer, which is on display in the shop.

Dry ageing allows the meat's natural enzymes to break down the connective tissue, resulting in a more tender steak.

The process also causes the meat's moisture to evaporate, intensifying the beefy flavour and creating a unique taste and texture.

Damion said: “These farms are huge, with one of them up to 2,000 acres, in valleys with lush grass and clean air.

“The benefit to the cattle is obvious and that’s reflected in the quality of the beef.

“When we dry age the meat, it makes high quality meat even better.

“IWe’re now dry ageing specialists and we can offer customers bespoke dry ageing with their steaks, whether it be for 30 days or even 50 days.”

Damion grew up in Manchester, where the family ran a butchers shop in which he frequently helped out.

Moving to the Fylde coast for a new start, he worked in a busy catering butchers in Blackpool before setting up D&K Meats with Kelly, a local Fylde coast girl.

After setting up that first shop in Carleton in 2019, they're-located to the current Poulton premises in June last year - it was previously Sam Cleggs Butchers.

The couple, who have three young daughters, entered the business competition after receiving a letter through the post, and the pair needed as many customers as possible to nominate them.

D&K were supported by loyal customers and, in addition, a secret shopper from the award team also visited a shop to assess it.

It culminated in the shop winning the ward.

Damion added: “We cannot compete with the supermarket prices - but they will never beat us on quality!”

D&K butchers will now compete with England’s best in the finals, to be staged in Birmingham in November.