In praise of British lamb

In one of Roald Dahl’s lesser-known short stories, ‘Lamb to the Slaughter’, the guilty Mrs Maloney tempts police officers into enjoying a spot of supper while they’re at her house hunting for the weapon used to kill her husband.

That’s the hell of a big club the guy must’ve used to hit poor Patrick, one of them was saying. The doc says his skull was smashed all to pieces just like from a sledgehammer.That’s why it ought to be easy to find.Exactly what I say.Whoever done it, they’re not going to be carrying a thing like that around with them longer than they need.One of them belched.Personally, I think it’s right here on the premises.Probably right under our very noses. What you think, Jack?

The coppers should probably be forgiven for gobbling up the murder weapon, though, because who can resist a perfect roast leg of lamb?

Love Lamb Week, which runs until 7 September, was established in 2015 by Cumbrian sheep farmer Rachel Lumley to help address low domestic consumption of this home-grown meat.