A CULLINGWORTH butchers has added to its string of previous accolades.

Ellison’s has scooped multiple honours in this year’s Butchers Q Guild Smithfield Star Awards.

The Halifax Road business picked-up five awards in the prestigious event.

All but one were top-ranked three-star accolades.

And two were shortlisted as finalists, for ‘best of the best’ diamond awards, in the burger and gluten-free categories.

The rib eye brisket and wild mushroom eight-ounce burger won high praise from judges, who described it as “having a great uncooked appearance, well produced, with super taste – a good all-round gourmet burger”.

Ellison’s gluten-free star performer was a gin and juniper pork sausage, made using locally-produced rhubarb gin.

Also three-star rated in the contest was the company's dry aged Angus-cross sirloin steak and a non-gluten-free version of the gin and juniper pork sausage.

Completing the winning line-up for Ellison’s were pork link sausages and a gluten-free beef slice, which each received one star.

The star rating system was a new feature of this year’s awards scheme.

Products achieving a certain standard were given a grading.

John Ellison – for Ellison’s Butchers, which has earned many honours over the years – said he was delighted with the latest success.

“We were over the moon – particularly to be shortlisted for the category-leading diamond awards in the face of such strong competition from our fellow butchers nationwide,” he added.

“Whilst we didn’t strike diamond this year we came very close, and the positive comments made by judges will hopefully help us to progress to bigger and better things next year.”

Awards organisers paid tribute to the standard of entries.

Claire Holland, Butchers Q Guild general manager, said: “These awards are a great way of showcasing our members and their achievements.

“Members work really hard to develop outstanding products and to keep-up with consumer trends, therefore to have it topped-off with an industry-judged accolade is the icing on the cake.

“Although Ellison’s did not achieve a diamond award this year, they should be very proud of this impressive haul.”

The overall supreme champion was Lishman’s Butchers, of Ilkley.