A HERMITAGE Academy boy took the honours for the second year in succession when the fourth annual Helensburgh Rotary Club Young Baker competition was held at the school recently.

After a closely-fought competition, with the entrants – perhaps inspired by the popularity of TV series such as The Great British Bake-Off – producing a delicious variety of scones, cakes and biscuits, it was Stewart McKellar who was declared the winner by the judges, and was presented with a gold medal and certificate by Helensburgh Rotary Club president Gordon Burgess.

The silver medal went to Rhianna MacFarlane, just ahead of bronze medal winner Catherine MacDonald.

The contest, held by kind permission of head teacher Robert Williamson, was devised and organised by guidance teacher Isobel Cullen, and Linda Harvey of the Rotary Club, with the help of the Home Economics department.

The judges were Tamara Jones from Riverhill Courtyard, a former Hermitage pupil and competitor in the Young Chef competition, and Ross Gardner from The Gingerbread Man Bakery.

Linda Harvey said: “The standards again were superb, with an amazing array of scones, biscuits, cookies and cakes.”

Gordon Burgess said: “I congratulate the pupils on their efforts, and compliment them on the way they left the kitchen areas clean and tidy.

“I assured them that even if they did not intend to have a career in catering, they would have acquired skills which would stand them in good stead later in life.”

The idea is to give the younger pupils a stepping stone towards the more advanced Rotary Young Chef of the Year competition, which will be held during the school’s autumn term.

Six pupils took part in the contest.