A family-run butcher's shop has created its healthiest-ever sausage in time for the Olympics.

Eastern Daily Press: Rutland Butchers in Melton Constable have launched an Olympic sausage, raising money for EACH - James Rutland with the Olympic Sausage. Picture: Matthew Usher.Rutland Butchers in Melton Constable have launched an Olympic sausage, raising money for EACH - James Rutland with the Olympic Sausage. Picture: Matthew Usher. (Image: Archant Norfolk 2016)

As athletes set off for Rio, James Rutland from Melton Constable was designing what may well be the first banger to give you your five a day.

As well as minced lean pork and chicken, it contains oats, broccoli, blueberry, apricot, apple, carrots, peppers, sultanas and lemon zest.

Mr Rutland, whose family have run a butcher's in the village for more than 40 years, said: 'We do more than 40 varieties of home-made sausages. We do get a bit carried away with sausages, if I'm honest, we probably do need to get out more.'

Mr Rutland said his latest recipe was aimed partly at his two boys Bow, six and four-year-old brother Seb.

Eastern Daily Press: Rutland Butchers in Melton Constable have launched an Olympic sausage - raising money for EACH. Picture: Matthew Usher.Rutland Butchers in Melton Constable have launched an Olympic sausage - raising money for EACH. Picture: Matthew Usher. (Image: Archant Norfolk 2016)

'They love meat but it's not always easy to get them to eat veg,' he said.

Other off-beat bangers for sale in the shop include a Marmite sausage - which you either love or hate like the thick black stuff you spread on your toast or cross the road to avoid, according to Mr Rutland.

He has also dreamed up a pizza sausage, made with mozarella and tomato, a chocolate and chilli variety and a fruity Christmas special.

But he admits not every idea he dreams up in his kitchen tastes as good as expected.

'I tried a banana one once and it didn't work, it was just tasteless, bland,' he said.

'And treacle and peanut butter - that was shocking, absolutely shocking, so that didn't make it to the counter fridge'.

Rutlands was one of four butchers in the village when Mike and Marion Rutland opened their shop on the Briston Road 44 years ago. They still help out behind the counter. Now the only remaining family-run butcher in the village, it is run by James Rutland and his three sisters Kit, Carol and Tracy.

The Rutlands source almost all of their meat from Norfolk, with specialities including beef from red poll cattle reared at Sandringham.

The animals, which were introduced to the Royal Estate By King George V, can still be seen grazing the fields around the Queen's Norfolk residence.

Some 50p from the £4.50 price of each pound of Olympic sausages will be domated to East Anglia's Children's Hospices' nook appeal. The charity is raising £10m to build a new children's hospice near Norwich.