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Butcher of 26 years becomes latest recruit to Shropshire town's fire station

A Shropshire butcher who has been providing lamb chops and sausages to the people of Bishop's Castle for the last 26 years, has signed up to become the town's latest on-call firefighter after a blaze at his home.

By Richard Williams
Published

Peter Smith, aged 40, has been a familiar face at the chopping block at AJ Pugh butcher's shop in Bishop Castle since the late 90s.

He is also a popular social media user and regularly gets thousands of views on his barbecue and cooking posts.

Peter Smith, is getting ready to join the team. He we still be a butcher but will be on call when he finishes that shift. He starts training in Telford next and will soon be on the engine with the crew. Pictured in his kit.
Peter Smith, is getting ready to join the team. He we still be a butcher but will be on call when he finishes that shift. He starts training in Telford next and will soon be on the engine with the crew. Pictured in his kit.

Now, the master butcher is to become a part-time on-call firefighter at Bishop's Castle fire station and will soon be putting out fires rather than just providing food for cooking on them.

Peter Smith, is getting ready to join the team. He we still be a butcher but will be on call when he finishes that shift. He starts training in Telford next and will soon be on the engine with the crew. Pictured in his kit.
Peter Smith, is getting ready to join the team. He we still be a butcher but will be on call when he finishes that shift. He starts training in Telford next and will soon be on the engine with the crew. Pictured in his kit.

Mr Smith, said he became inspired to sign-up after he had a chimney fire at his home earlier this year.

Peter Smith, is getting ready to join the team. He we still be a butcher but will be on call when he finishes that shift. He starts training in Telford next and will soon be on the engine with the crew. Pictured in his kit.
Peter Smith, is getting ready to join the team. He we still be a butcher but will be on call when he finishes that shift. He starts training in Telford next and will soon be on the engine with the crew. Pictured in his kit.

The father-of-one said: “We had a chimney fire a few months ago and the crew from Bishop's Castle came out and I was inspired by their team work and how they came together and got the job done. I thought it was perhaps a way I could give something back to community. I only two minutes away and know most of the lads at the station anyway, so we got chatting and I decided to join.”

He said he will still be at the butcher's shop during the day, but after his training will be on call in the evenings and weekends.

“I did my induction two weeks ago and on September 1 I go for my first week's training in Telford.

“I've been told it is hard work but I am sure it will be worth it. My wife is behind me and my six-year-old loves the fire service as we went to the open day and he loved it.

“I am hoping to be fully trained up by mid-November, but I've already got my uniform”

Peter, whose popular Instagram account petethebutcher39 regularly gets 100k views for his butchery and food posts, says he will be using the platform to update people on his firefighting progress.