LEIGH bakers Waterfields have hit a milestone 75th anniversary this year -- and have kicked off a year of celebration.

One of the first events took the company back to its roots in 1926 when a three tier wedding cake cost £5. 15s. (£5.75).

The bakery raffled off a cake for that bargain price at the firm's wedding fairlast month.

It was won by Gemma Briggs and Andrew Sharrock, who plan to marry next year, and who are pictured with company chairman Richard Waterfield.

The firm has come a long way since the Depression days when grandma Alice Waterfield starting baking pies and pasties for millworkers from the Mather Lane home she and founder Albert bought for £150.

But great oaks from little acorns grow.

The award winning company now employs 600 people and runs a chain of 30 shops.

All staff will be involved in celebrating the jubilee year -- a special one indeed with father Albert also celebrating his 70th birthday and managing director John his 40th.

The bakery's latest prize came just last week when they won the cake decorating class in a nationwide competition run by the National Association of Master Bakers in Swansea.

Their entries in the wedding cake, birthday cake and torten categories gave them overall first prize against formidable opposition from craft bakeries and colleges from all over the country.

The team of skilled sugar craft artists Jayne McWalters, Michelle Ashurst and Steven Peet are pictured with their entries and the winners' trophy.