VILLAGE butcher Paul Elleston has a date at the House of Lords next month – and he won t be delivering any of his produce. Mr Elleston bought Trussell s Butchers in High Street, Knebworth, 12 years ago and he also runs a thriving mobile business around th

VILLAGE butcher Paul Elleston has a date at the House of Lords next month - and he won't be delivering any of his produce.

Mr Elleston bought Trussell's Butchers in High Street, Knebworth, 12 years ago and he also runs a thriving mobile business around the villages of Kimpton, Preston, Offley, Lilley, Datchworth and Tewin.

Now his fine produce has made him one of the regional winners of the Countryside Alliance Awards for the East of England.

Mr Elleston, who is from Hitchin, will attend the national finals at the House of Lords on March 18.

"You must remember it was my customers who put us forward for this competition and we are thrilled to have got to the final," said Mr Elleston, 42, whose business motto at the shop is 'Taste the difference'.

"It is a wonderful feeling that we are being supported by our customers and I must say since The Comet ran a story about us in November people who have never been here before have come in to buy our meat.

"So being in the competition has spread the word about us and I hope I can bring a trophy back from London."

Countryside Alliance judges said of the shop: "This traditional, high quality butcher is very interactive with the local community and operates a mobile butcher's which visits the surrounding villages.

"It supports the local Scouts and Guides and a local link-up service provides hot meals to the elderly. Trussell's also supports local game shoots and all game for sale comes from shoots in surrounding villages.

"The traditional shop has the original fittings from over 100 years ago. Trussell's is a worthy winner.