NORTHALLERTON butcher Anthony Kitson has made history by buying the overall supreme champion beef cattle at the country’s three principal Christmas primestock shows this year – the English, Royal Welsh and Scottish Winter Fairs.

It is thought to be the first time that an independent family-run retail butchers has pulled off such a coup, which cost well into five figures.

The title-winning trio are currently being fully matured to maximise both taste and texture in readiness for the Christmas trade at Kitsons shops in Northallerton, Stockton, and Hutton Rudby.

Mr Kitson said: "Our customers are in for a real treat. We always try to offer them the best prime quality meat that money can buy at all times of the year, much of it sourced locally, but I wanted to do something really special for Christmas this year by personally attending the country’s flagship festive primestock shows.

"Absolutely nothing will go to waste and, importantly, we’ll be selling this great British beef at our normal prices. We may well have gone a bit crackers to beef up our Christmas this year, but our customers certainly won’t be paying extra for the privilege of eating it!"

He travelled many hundreds of miles to pull off the unique hat-trick.

He began at the English Winter Fair in Staffordshire, less than a week later attended the Scottish Winter Fair in Lanark, and two days later the Royal Welsh Fair in Builth Wells.

The three champions are among 116 first-rate prime cattle he has bought for the Christmas and New Year period.

Mr Kitson said: "We hang our beef from three to four weeks. It’s like a fine Burgundy wine – it gets better with age, though the secret is to know exactly the right time to serve up specific cuts."

The business is one of the north’s longest established butchers, dating back to 1693 in Batley. Relocating to the North-East, the family first took over a butcher’s shop in Stockton in 1903, with Hutton Rudby following some years later. The Northallerton shop opened five years ago and is managed by Martin Calvert, who has worked for Kitsons for 25 years.

The business remains family-run with Anthony at the helm, supported by his mother, Thelma – who still runs the books aged 71 – sons Henry, 25, and Oliver, 24 and sister Beverley, the pie-maker in chief.

The business is about to undergo one of its most important stages of development. It will be rebranded as Kitson & Sons Butchers and is to open a multi-million pound food hall at Crathorne, near Yarm, adjoining the A19, one of the north’s key arteries.

Work on converting a quadrant farm building has just started and the development – which will include a cafe/restaurant – is due to open in the middle of next year. It is expected to create up to 30 jobs.