SHOPPERS across the region are returning to the high street as the scandal over horse meat in the food chain hits consumer confidence.

A poll of independent food retailers from the region conducted by The Press’ sister paper The Northern Echo found the revelations over horse meat being found in supermarket meat products have prompted a 20 per cent surge in business at many butchers, while encouraging shoppers back to their local high street.

Auctioneers at Thirsk and Darlington cattle marts reported soaring sales prices this week as demand for locally sourced meat increased.

Stuart Beaton, owner of Ainsty Farm Shop, at Green Hammerton said more customers were asking about the meat’s provenance. “Our cattle comes from one-and-a-quarter miles away from here. It probably walked further than that round its field in a week.”

Lottie Riley, of The Farmer’s Cart farm shop, near York, said she had seen a lot of new faces in the shop this week.

Meanwhile, North Yorkshire farmers Jill and Nicho Mortimer and Richard and Amanda Atkinson, have been selling rare breed beef and lamb from their farm’s gates, near Borrowby and Bishop Monkton, in response to the scandal.