Prize-winning butcher Colin Townend, of Fladbury Butchers, said supplies of British pork and lamb would run out soon but butchers like himself who hung beef would have enough for longer.

"There is no pork like British pork so I shall have to find the best I can," he said.

"I shall switch to New Zealand lamb and source beef from Australia - the next best to British - if necessary."

Customers have not been put off buying meat and, in fact, Mr Townend said he had to restrain a few from buying too much in order to have enough for all his customers.

"I think the movement ban should be lifted so that clean stock could be killed for meat while it is still clean," he said.

"I feel really gutted for farmers whose good stock is slaughtered; when I think of all that waste and devastation."