DINERS in Hyndburn will be able to tuck into the best meat in the county after a local butchers bought up the supreme champion of Lancashire and Cumbria.

Paul Libberton managing director of Libberton's Butchers Ltd, Accrington, outbid more than 200 other buyers and paid £3,000 for the the Belgian Blue Cross Blond Aquitaine from Ulverston at this year's Christmas Fat Stock Show.

The auctions are usually for live animals but because of this year's foot and mouth crisis the livestock was slaughtered before going under the hammer.

Mr Libberton, who owns the meat suppliers based in Crown Street, provides meat to a number of restaurants including the Coach and Horses, Oswaldtwistle, and Auberge, Rishton, which will all be given the option to purchase cuts of the meat.

The first choice though will go to former Blackburn Rovers player and JJB Sports managing director David Whelan who will feast on the ribs at Wigan Rugby Club on Boxing day.

Mr Libberton said: "We need to show people that British beef is back on the streets and it is important to us to be able to say to our customers that this is the best we can buy.

"It wasn't easy though and at one point I really wished the other bloke would stop bidding. When I saw it though I knew we had to have it."

In addition to the supreme champion, which cost Mr Libberton more than £8 per kilo, 155 cattle and 380 were up for auction.