ASPIRING young chefs from the Chase in Malvern took part in the local heat of the National Rotary Young Chef Competition, organised by the Colwall branch of the club.

The school had run heats to select eight pupils to take part in the challenge, which was to cook a two-course meal costing no more than £10 in two hours.

Chief Judge Jenni Griggs said: “It was a special afternoon, the chefs achieved an extremely high standard and all the pupils cooked their hearts out."

Among the dishes cooked up by the pupils and enjoyed by the judges were a Hairy Bikers' chicken bake, bacon-wrapped figs with goat's cheese, an onion, brie and sun-dried tomato tart, salmon with anchovies, baby tomatoes and black olives, and spaghetti carbonara.

Mrs Griggs said: "The skills demonstrated and the flavours achieved by all the contestants filled the judges with admiration.

"We were unanimous in choosing this year's winner, Maisie Lewis, who showed such calm organisation and skill in preparing her dishes, which we couldn't stop eating. Amber McManus and Jamie Brown came a worthy second and third. All the contestants were a credit to themselves, their teacher, Mrs Fay Borthwick, and the school."

Maisie has now been invited to cook her menu alongside the chef from the Malvern Hills Hotel at the Colwall Rotary Club youth night in January, before going onto the next round of the competition in February.