Mouth watering aromas wafted from the hall of Constantine School last Thursday morning as over 200 pupils and staff put their culinary skills to the test for a 'cookathon.'

The school was taking part in a nationwide Let's Get Cooking campaign, run by the Children's Food Trust, which aimed at getting every child in the country cooking last week regardless of privilege or background.

The children spent time slicing and dicing groups potatoes, carrots and onions, then adding peas and tinned tomatoes, as they prepared cottage pies and vegetable pies for the dinner ladies to cook in the kitchen.

Annabell Moyle, the teaching assistant who organised the event, said: "It's been manic.

"We haven't got facilities for each child to cook their own meal, so it's been prepped and our lovely staff are cooking it for us.

"They [the children] have had a brilliant time. They've really enjoyed it."

Emma, a pupil in year two, said: "It was fun when Eva and I collected the ingredients. We worked together really well. Cooking at school encourages me to cook at home and help with the washing up."

Another pupil, Charlie, said: "I think it was really good because the helpers were really supporting and encouraging. It's good because I know that I will have to cook when I am older."