SOME say his chops are the biggest in town, others say he has by far the best sausages, but sadly Mike Pickwell is hanging up his chopper for a new life in Dublin.

After a quarter century of serving meat to the shoppers of Monmouth, butcher Mike Pickwell is hanging up his apron for the last time this week.

Working in Monmouth since 1991, Mike has been a larger than life character behind the counter at Hancocks the Butcher, bringing a smile to customers with his trademark humour and infectious laugh.

He started at Gateway in Coleford until Howard Hancocks offered him an apprenticeship in Monmouth and “never looked back”.

One of his fondest memories is winning the Three Nations Championship for Butchery in 1991 which took Mike to Holland for five days. “Competitions were great fun” he said, “but I will miss my work colleagues past and present.”

Colleagues such as Alan Ray and Steve Lang, who took over from Alan and who will be the new shop manager from today onwards (26th October).

Mike will be leaving to live with his Irish partner in Dublin: “I have to go all for the right reasons, gutted to be leaving here, having been here 25 years but needs must,” he added.

“The only fair thing to do was to hand my resignation in sadly,” he said, “I will miss the people and Monmouth itself.”

He will be carrying on his trade in a shop in Monkstown, a suburb of Dublin and is looking forward to the birth of his baby in January.

Howard Hancocks, owner of the business said: “He started with me at age 17 and within 6 months was a leading member of the Welsh international trio that won the 4 Nations cutting and display competition. He has been a stalwart of Hancocks of Monmouth and a friend for over 25 years and in the last seven years he has successfully run the establishment.

“Business will carry on as usual with Steve, who has been with me for 12 years, and Dan moving up and Ryan Mills coming in to take Dan’s place.”