A BUTCHERS launched more than 30 years ago by "the Pie Man of York" is now being operated by the second generation of its founder's family - with the third generation already getting stuck in to the venture.

Ged Bell Family Butchers and Pie Makers was established in Dringhouses in 1980 by Ged Bell, who had a vision to build a small family business that would set him, and his young family on a steady path for the future.

The whole family worked in the shop; Lynn, Ged’s wife and his two children Nicola and Lee.

As a young 17 year old, Lee was keen to work in different industries before committing to working alongside his father in the butchers.

Ged was pioneering in the shop, winning several awards for his famous pies, earning him the nickname ‘the Pie Man of York’.

Lee worked alongside his dad and learned the skills for the trade and in 2004 Lee became ‘Young Butcher of the Year’ and was presented with this national award in London at the Guild of Master Butchers.

Sadly, Ged died in 2006.

Deborah Bell, a partner in the business,said: "The devastating effect on the family and community was clear to see and the future looked challenging, having worked in a place where the person you loved the most was embedded in its core and then gone was a hard thing to face.

"Lee did face the challenge, and took over the business, running it in many of the traditional ways his father taught him but also adding his own stamp, which is what his father would have wanted."

Now with a young family of his own, the shop is a way of life for this second generation of Bell’s.

Deborah said: "If you ask Henry, Lee’s eldest son of seven years, what he wants to be when he’s older he is very sure he will be a butcher and he loves being at the shop helping cut out the pastry and sampling the pork pies.

"Lynn, Lee’s mother, still works with him in the shop, and at Christmas all the family help out.

"Nicola loves coming back at this time of year and Nicola’s daughter Masie now takes on the role of serving the mince pies as Nicola once did."

Lee continues to develop the butchers shop in several ways; since his mum was diagnosed with Coeliac disease a few years ago he has worked on a gluten free range.

He has also continued to develop the pie range and is consistently a winner in the Great Yorkshire Championships, with the business's ‘Stumpy Pie and Peas’ now legendary at York’s Annual Beer Festival