THE food technology teacher of a South Lakes school has praised her students after produce they cooked up began flying off the shelves at the local community shop.

Witherslack Community Shop has, during the past 12 months, forged successful links with Witherslack Hall School which has led to students setting up a business enterprise at the store.

Supplying the shop with tasty cakes that are a hit with the community as soon as they are delivered every Thursday, students have also been making ready meals which have proved to be a huge hit with the store's customers.

Karen Cowperthwaite, food technology teacher at the school, said: "The pupils have really benefitted from this initiative by learning about the principles of retail, budgeting and profit margins. All the profits have been reinvested by the young people into new kitchen equipment, so who knows where this will take them.

"The school has been inundated with telephone calls and letters of thanks commenting on the quality and variety of the produce."

Ms Cowperthwaite added the school has managed to buy a large mixer as well as stocking a food processor in every work station in the classroom as a result of the cash boost.

Rachel Stokes, joint-manager of the community shop, heaped praise on the pupils' efforts.

"It's been brilliant," she said. "All the local people are so impressed by the pupils and the quality of their baking and delicious ready meals.

"The minute we receive new items from them they are flying off the shelves, they are so popular.

"The best thing though is that they are providing such a great service to our customers and the young people are now an important part of our close-knit community."

One of the pupils added: "It's really nice to get the letters of thanks from customers and know that our cooking is proving so popular. We are always thinking up new recipes or new items we would like to try."