CELEBRITY chef Andrew Nutter found proof of young culinary talent "in the pudding" at a high school cookery competition.

He was so impressed with 15-year-old Ben Fairhurst's apple crumble that he asked to have the recipe for his new television series.

Ben was one of ten pupils from Woodhey High School in Ramsbottom set loose in the kitchen at Andrew's Nutters Restaurant in Edenfield Road, Rochdale, for the final of a Masterchef-style contest.

Nine heats had been held in school to narrow down the competition before the final.

The overall winners were Olivia Booth and Roxanne Woodford-Roberts.

But it was Ben Fairhurst's apple crumble with creamy Lancashire cheese which won best individual course.

Andrew is now thinking of presenting the dish to the whole nation in the new ITV1 cookery show Daily Cooks.

The chef makes regular appearances on the programme alongside presenter Antony Worrall Thompson.

He said: "I got a real buzz out of having the pupils in the restaurant because they were so enthusiastic.

"It's encouraging to see teenagers with such a passion for food. There was so much variety in their menus, it was obvious they had all put a lot of time and thought into what they were going to cook.

"Some of the end products were very impressive. Ben's crumble was so good I had to ask him to make me another one. I got the recipe off him and I'm certainly thinking about using that one on television."

Daily Cooks airs on ITV1 at 2pm, Monday to Friday.