YOUNGSTERS at a York primary school have used their new cook zone to lend a helping hand to Mrs Claus this Christmas.

The 30 young chefs in the reception class at St Aelred’s RC School in Tang Hall have given Santa's wife a helping hand and spent three weekly sessions mixing, making, marzipaning and icing their non-alcoholic cakes.

Foundation Stage leader, Sylvia Klays, said: "All the children bake at least once a week cooking both sweet and savoury goods - we have had a bread-baking bake-off among other things and we decided, with Christmas approaching, it would be a nice idea for the children to each bake their own mini-cake to take home.

"To that end they received an email from Mrs Christmas and she explained that she could not bake a Christmas cake for Father Christmas this year as she had lost her recipe.

"She had heard that the Foundation Stage have a brand new, child friendly cook zone and wondered if they could bake a tasty cake and then send her the recipe.

"The young chefs accepted the challenge and have made their own miniature cakes. They have now sent a recipe to Mrs Christmas and are waiting to hear her reply."

Mrs Klays said the cook zone was designed with the children in mind - the cupboards are all at their level and they do the preparation, cooking and cleaning up after each session.