United Kingdom-Bringing home the bacon.

Members of a unique club in Marton are tasting the benefits of rearing ten pigs which have been slaughtered for their meat.

The fine cuts of pork were used in a faggot-making masterclass at the village hall last week and a sausage-making session took place on Thursday.

And the 18 families in the village’s ’pig club’, who put money and four months of hard work into looking after the Berkshire piglets, say the meat is "astonishing".

Club chairman Andrew Cooke said: "It was sad because we had been very attached to them but we always knew it was going to happen.

"We gave the pigs a fantastic life. We are looking forward to all the lovely food we are going to enjoy."

The pigs were bought in November and kept in a paddock in the village.

Club members took turns in feeding and watering the animals, checking their health, tidying their bedding and maintaining the paddock’s fences.

Mr Cooke said: "There were many reasons why we did it - it was fun, a good experience and we got some top quality food."

More villagers have joined the club and 15 new pigs of the same breed will arrive tomorrow (Saturday).

Berkshire pigs are a rare breed which were originally reared in Wantage and Farringdon.

Their meat became popular during the English Civil War in the 17th century, when Oliver Cromwell’s soldiers discovered the animals while they were stationed near Reading.

They are said to be Britain’s oldest pig breed and in New Zealand there are only 100 pure bred sows.

Mr Cooke said: "Berkshires are beautiful and a very old and rare breed.

"They are considered to be the most docile - that is why we went for them and it proved to be the case.

"They were very very friendly and nice to be around.

"People would go up and visit them because they were good company."

Members of the club are hoping to add chickens to their list of livestock in summer.