Peter Coward to hang up his knives after 40 years

Peter Coward will be retiring after 40 years as a butcher

Littleborough butcher Peter Coward is hanging up his knives after 40 years in the trade.

Peter started working as a butcher for the Co-op on Smallbridge precinct in 1975. He worked for the Co-op for seven years, moving to the building on Hare Hill Road that is now Sainsbury's Local.

In 1983 he started working for Trevor Cryer, who owned the butchers on Victoria Street.

After 11 years, Peter bought the business off Trevor and has kept it running as Cryer's for the past 22 years.

Peter has now sold the business and a new butcher will be taking over by the end of September.

Peter said: "I would like to thank all the loyal customers I have had over the years. I will be staying on for a couple of weeks when the new butcher takes over so I can say goodbye to as many customers as I can.

"I haven't decided what to do once I've retired, though. I've a couple of jobs to do around the house and I'll be having my grand-daughter for a couple of days a week. Other than that, I'll just see what comes."