A BUTCHER from near Whitchurch has been praised for his achievements after winning a bronze medal in a World Butcher's Challenge in the United States.

Ben Roberts works for M.E Evans Butchers in Overton-on-Dee and represented Team Wales at the event in Sacramento in California.

He finished third in the Champion Butcher Apprentice competition and the team finished sixth from 13 countries in the 'Olympics of Meat.'

Craft Butchery Team Wales is a division of the Culinary Association of Wales (CAW) and CAW president Arwyn Watkins, OBE, congratulated the team and Ben for their achievements.

He added: "For the team to finish sixth in the world and for Ben to finish third in the butcher apprentice competition at the first attempt are fantastic achievements for Team Wales.

"The team members have told me how proud they were to walk out on the world stage with the Welsh flag to represent their country in their chosen craft."

Mr Watkins is also the managing director of Cambrian Training Company which delivers apprenticeships to butchers in Wales and he spoke about how events in Wales helped enable Welsh butchers to compete on the world stage.

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He said: "It took huge effort and many years of persuasion to secure a team of craft butchers to represent Wales at the World Butchers Challenge.

"Team Wales has now set the foundation for a future legacy and hopefully it will help to attract more people into the industry as a recognised skilled craft.

"The team has put in a huge amount of time and dedication and I am extremely proud of what we have collectively achieved."

Chris Jones is the head of the food and drink business unit at the Cambrian Training Company and he praised the team members for their dedication.

He said: "It’s a reward for all their hard work and dedication.

"They are all good butchers, know their craft and have competed before.

"They now have a good foundation to build on and we know where we lost points, which is easily rectified."

Lesley Griffiths, the Welsh Government minister for rural affairs and North Wales said the team should be proud of their achievements.

She added: "A huge congratulation to Ben and the team who should be rightly proud of their achievements representing Wales at the World Butchers’ Challenge.

"Their dedication to the craft is clear and the experience of competing on a global stage will be invaluable for them going forward."