A butcher facing closure due to rising costs says his customers have saved the business after a month of record sales.

Denis Hills Quality Butcher in Strood has been in business for nearly half a century but before Christmas revealed it faced an uncertain future due to "sky-high" rising costs and energy bills.

Owner Denis Hills now says the butchers in Frindsbury took in almost 600 orders in December, claiming loyal customers have saved the business from closure after he appeared on KentOnline and KMTV in November.

In late November last year, Denis said the business could be forced to close after a 50% hike in bills.

He said: "I could lose this business after Christmas. I don't want to, and I don't think I will, because I'm not a bloke that would walk away. I will fight the extra mile to do that.

"But the actual bags that you need now, and everything, has gone up. String, everything. Everything has gone sky-high."

Speaking this week, Denis said: "Hopefully now we're secure. We had a fantastic Christmas. A lot of people came back and thought we wouldn't be here, but we are going to be here.

"We've just got to work a little bit harder at everything. It won't fall at your feet. What I've got hasn't fallen at my feet, it's got through hard work."

Denis, whose business has been providing meat to customers including restaurants, nursing homes and pubs for nearly 50 years, also revealed an energy supplier has offered them a deal.

This means potential rising energy bills will not impact the butcher's as badly during the next few years.

The shop's manager, Adam Stone, was brought to tears last year as he expressed concerns about the future of the business.

At the time, he said: "I've told Denis whatever happens, I'll go down with him no matter what. This shop means as much to me as it does to him, and as I do to my own family."

Now, the dad-of-three says he is "determined" to keep the business going, adding: "I've always had intentions of taking this business as far as I can take it. It's not just for me, but it's for my kids' futures.

"And not just my kids, but other people's futures; other people that are watching this that have got grandchildren.

"It is one of those trades that is very hard, but if you keep working at it and keep pushing through, you get there in the end, and that's what I'm determined to do here."

The butcher's is just one of many businesses across the country which has struggled to make ends meet during the cost-of-living crisis.

In September, the government introduced its Energy Bills Relief Scheme to support businesses, meaning they would pay less than half the predicted wholesale cost of energy this winter.

However, the scheme will end on March 31 this year.

A spokesman for HM Treasury said: "We are currently carrying out a review with the aim of reducing the public finances' exposure to volatile energy prices from April 2023.

"We will announce the outcome of this review in the New Year to ensure businesses have sufficient certainty about future support before the current scheme ends in March 2023."