INNOVATIVE young chefs battled it out in an inter-schools cookery competition sponsored by the Lancashire Evening Telegraph.

Blackburn College restaurant 'Scholars' was the kitchen for the competition heats.

The winners were Blackburn's Witton Park School pupils Aasiya Dudha and Anisa Momoniat, and runners-up were Blackburn school pupils Ruth Drane and Nichola Cooke from St Wilfrid's and third, Pleckgate pupils Mehirvesh Ann and Firoza Patel.

Marketing manager for the Lancashire Evening Telegraph, Mr Roger Edworthy, presented the prizes to the winners and runners-up.

Teams of two competed from Blackburn schools Pleckgate, Queen's Park High, St Wilfrid's, St Bede's, Westholme, Our Lady and St John and Witton Park, as well as Oswaldtwistle's Rhyddings, Billington's St Augustine's, Clitheroe Royal Grammar and Darwen Moorland High.

Head of catering for Blackburn College John Darbyshire said: "Competitors had to prepare a meal for under £8 using turkey mince, a bread-based product and puff pastry. I was very impressed with the results."

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