COOKING a meal for their favourite celebrity won four West Craven High School pupils a place in a Pendle young chef competition.

Year eight pupils Emma Wray and Katie Berry cooked up a meal of homemade hotdogs and chips followed by apples dipped in chocolate for Homer Simpson, while Marc Barnes and Liam Gascoigne cooked up a treat for The Bill's Reg Hollis of chicken pie and chips, peppermint creams and homemade lemonade.

They were just two teams from the school who took part in the competition, which was organised by the East Lancashire Business Partnership in Pendle.

Sponsors Morrison's supermarket provided all the ingredients for the 200 pupils from the seven high schools who took part.

The competition was open to two age groups, pupils aged between 11 and 14 and between 15 and 16.

Internal heats were held at the individual schools with around 20 pupils from West Craven High taking part.

The youngsters were judged by representatives from the partnership and the competition sponsors and had to cook in front of their teachers and fellow pupils.

West Craven's food technology teacher Gill Cornwell explained: "The children had to cook for a celebrity of their choice and make them a meal.

"At key stage three level, the pupils had to cook a two course meal, which had to take them an hour-and-a-half and cost no more than £6.50.

"They also had to cost up all the ingredients and submit written work giving the reason why they had chosen that celebrity and why they choose the food that they did."

Mrs Cornwell said the school was thrilled to have two teams from key stage three in the finals which will be held at Nelson and Colne College on Wednesday March 5 where they will compete for a trophy. They will be up against two other teams.

Mrs Cornwell added: "It's been quite a big ordeal for the year eight pupils and I think they've done really well, especially as they were competing against year nine pupils as well.