YOUNGSTERS from York joined forces with TV chef Jamie Oliver to help set a Guinness Wold Record.

Six children from Copmanthorpe Primary School joined the celebrity in a one-hour cookery lesson in London yesterday where they took part in Jamie’s live Times Educational Supplement cooking lesson for Food Revolution Day, along with hundreds of students in the UK and around the world.

Joel Barnes, aged nine, and ten-year-olds Matthew Phillips, Gemma Peel, Abigail Cummings, Millie Stanford and Josh Burrows were part of the chef’s bid to set a world record for the greatest number of people in a cookery lesson, with events held over a 24-hour period at multiple venues, including Dringhouses School back in York.

Copmanthorpe head, Judith Rigg, said: "I wrote off saying that we would like to take part and our name was pulled out of a hat. We were thrilled to be picked, and chose children who got to meet Jamie from Year 5 who had expressed an interest in cooking and in Jamie.

"It's been a hugely exciting opportunity and they'll be telling all the other pupils about it in assembly on Monday."

After watching a cooking demonstration by Jamie, the pupils worked in groups to prepare a rainbow salad wrap.

At Dringhouses Primary the day had an additional twist as the children were dressed in their sleepwear for the event, as the school council was also holding its annual fundraising “pyjama day” to raise money for an outdoor clock for the playground.

Class teacher Lizi Coombs said: “This term we are learning about the importance of healthy eating.

"Food Revolution Day is the perfect way for us to show the children how easy and how much fun it is to cook good food from scratch.

"The fact that the children were wearing their pyjamas added a ‘midnight feast’ element to the event, which made a memorable occasion and helped to inspire a love of food that hopefully will last a lifetime."

Food Revolution Day is a campaign by the Jamie Oliver food foundation in the UK and USA, and the Good Foundation in Australia.The campaign aims to educate children about food.