Kevin Walker Family Butchers, owned by Kevin Walker and Charlotte Laing, received the award for Best Steak Pie in the West of Scotland Region at the Scottish Craft Butchers Awards last Tuesday.

The couple have a shop on Shore Road, and another one in Dumbarton, and have owned them since 2007.

The outstanding steak pie is a secret recipe that was passed down from Mr Walker’s mother Margaret.

Mr Walker told the Advertiser: “This was the first time we entered any competition. I knew we might be in with a shout, we knew the steak pie was good, we sell quite a lot of them, and have a retailer that sells them for us. We thought maybe we’d get a wee gold or silver, we definitely didn’t think we’d win best in the region.

“We’re a small shop, in small towns, so we didn’t think much of it.” After filling out an entry form and sending off a pie, the shop is then visited by a mystery shopper.

Mr Walker added: “When we made it down to the last six, they sent out a letter saying that there was a ceremony in the Gartfield Hotel in Stepps, and that we’d won something, but they didn’t say what we’d won.

“When we’d won the top prize we couldn’t believe it. The west of Scotland is a big place, and we’ve only been doing this since 2007, so not that long. We didn’t have the shops handed down to us, we came in to these shops and built them up into what they are. So, we’re very proud – it’s some achievement.

“The response we’ve received already is amazing. We’ve had people coming into the shops and congratulating us. It’s great for the towns. We have our certificate and paper work to put in the window so people will know we’re the West of Scotland Champions.” Both shops supply meat to local farmers markets and restaurants.

Mr Walker added: “I really just want to thank the public and all our customers, without them we wouldn’t be here, so it’s all down to the support they’ve given us.”