TWO local butchers have been honoured at the industry's training awards in Glasgow.

Callum Forsyth from W T S Forsyth in Peebles and James Cook of Ovens Butcher Ltd in Biggar both collected runners-up trophies during the ceremony.

The Scottish Craft Butcher Training Awards reward the achievements and efforts of trainees, mentors and employers from across the country.

Assessors from Scottish Meat Training travelled the length and breadth of Scotland to hand select the best craft butcher training there is.

And WTS Forsyth butchers in Peebles were included in the prestigious shortlist for Training Partner of the Year.

Assessor Sean Graham said: "Over the last two years I have had the pleasure of working alongside both Callum and Mike Forsyth as their apprentices undergo their modern apprenticeship qualification and speaking with previous assessors this business has always been that way.

"Both Callum and Mike are very involved in the assessment process and honesty couldn’t do enough to accommodate me.

"Over the years Forsyth’s have produced an extremely high level of apprentice simply by investing the time and effort with their apprentices in both skills and knowledge.

"In my time as an Assessor they have not once cancelled a visit and are more than happy to accommodate me if someone in the area has, not just for myself but to ensure that the apprentice is getting as much tuition as possible.

"For anyone that has ever had the pleasure of visiting WTS Forsyth Butchers and Bakers in Peebles will see that it is an extremely busy place and taking the time out to ensure adequate training and assessment may seem difficult but speaking with Callum he has stated that this is key to growing his business."

Just a short time after Callum collected the runners-up trophy in the Training Partner of the Year category, another local butcher was also called to the Grand Central Hotel stage.

James Cook from Biggar's Ovens Butcher Ltd was short-listed in the Level 2 Modern Apprentice of the Year

Mr Graham also nominated the Biggar apprentice.

He stated: "James should be nominated for level 2 Modern Apprentice of the year because in the short space of time James has been undergoing his MA qualification his attitude towards it and the industry has been phenomenal.

"James has come from retail background and was initially taken on to help grow the retail side of the business, however James soon took a keen interest into the butchery side of things.

"James provided sufficient evidence on his first visit to achieve his first unit on serving customers which came of no shock but then stated that he would like to sit his elementary food hygiene exam.

"After a discussion with James and his employer and James stating that he had already read and studied his hygiene booklet, we decided to give him the chance.

"James passed with an extremely high pass mark on his first assessment visit!

"James’s employer Ian Bryan has stated on several occasions on James positive mental attitude and commitment to both qualification and the business."