SCRUMPTIOUS food and a fantastic fundraising effort saw organisers of a celebrity chefs event toast their most successful year ever.

The Lake District Farmers Armstrong Family Charitable Fund Dinner held at the Clarence House Hotel was a triumph, with more than 350 guests enjoying delicious taster menus, featuring Cumbrian produce and extraordinary culinary creations, over three nights.

The country's finest Michelin-starred chefs took over the kitchen of the Dalton venue on Thursday , Friday and Saturday for the event which is held in honour of fund founder and Barrow businessman Ray Armstrong who died in 2013.

Good cause

Thousands of pounds was raised through ticket sales for the event and thousands more through raffles and auctions held across the three evenings.

The money collected will be donated to charities, projects and loca good causes through the Evening Mail.

Chefs Simon Rogan, Mark Froydenlund and Pau Hood graced the hot plate on Friday night , treating guests to some imaginative dishes, including 'golden eggs' served in baskets of hay.

Mr Rogan, whose restaurant, the L'Enclume in Cartmel, is consistently voted best in Britain by the Good Food Guide, said it was always an honour to take part in the event.

He said: "I'm here to help a good cause to try to raise money for a worthy cause.

"I think this is my fourth year. I've been doing this since it began."

Best year ever

Dan Austin, director of Lake District Farmers, said it was always difficult to top the success of previous years but 2016 had done just that.

He said: "It's not just about the food. It's about the crack, the atmosphere. People know they are doing a good thing.

"When it all comes together it creates something special.

"For these chefs to travel from London and all this way is a testament to the charity.

"When an event is so good it's important to maintain it every year.

"This year we have more chefs in the kitchen and less courses so they can be more innovative."

Fee good event

Diners held back tears as Mr Austin emotionally recalled how money raised from previous years had changed lives, including how it helped a man overcome his battle with cancer and various rescue charities in the area.

Al of the chefs, who are connected by being supplied with meat from Lake District Farmers, were given free rein over how creative they wanted to be with their ingredients and presentation.

Loca singer Pete Murphy was once again on hand to keep diners entertained across the three nights.

He said: "I've done every year. On the first event that was posthumous for Ray I got asked to do the Sunday and I said 'yes, it will be nice to get involved'.

"I always say you are only as good as your audience and we just clicked.

"There's a different audience, different chefs each night so I can have a different crack."