Father and son are top of the chops.. again!

FAMILY DUO PICK UP PAIRS CROWN

- STAFF REPORTER

A Perth father and son butcher duo have proved they're the best in the business after retaining their pairs title in the Scotland Butcher Wars at the weekend.

Richard (49) and son Ben (22) Megahy from Simon Howie Butchers went into battle against some of the UK's most skilled opposition and emerged victorious in front of more than 500 spectators at the Dewars Centre in Perth.

Run as part of the bi-ennial Scottish Craft Butchers Trade Fair, Butcher Wars - a theatrical concept imported from Australia - challenged butchers to break down a half lamb and a half saddle of pork to create a show-stopping counter display in just 45 minutes.

Each was judged on a raft of criteria including their appearance, butchery skills, food safety, creativity, wastage, health and safety and their final display.

Retaining the pairs title they won at the last Scotland Butcher Wars has proved a career high for Ben, who started work with his father at the High Street butchers five years ago.

"To hear our names called as winners was amazing," he said. "There's nothing like the thrill of a competition win.

"We were absolutely exhausteddrained from the sheer adrenaline, drive and will to win that kept us going. We knew we had the ability to pull it off we just needed everything to go right for us on the day and luckily it did.