Judges were left salivating and cogitating at Millom School in 1997 during the annual cooking competition sponsored by the Rotary movement.

After much deliberating year ten student Fraser Daly was chosen as the winner from six finalists.

David Barnes and Katy Todd, also from year ten, came in joint second after the judges decided there was nothing to choose between their entries.

It was the second year of the competition, sponsored by Rotary Clubs in Cumbria and Lancashire.

The other three finalists were Katy Knowles, Stephanie Sim and Donna Park.

Fraser would now go forward to the district final of the national Chef of the Year competition at Lancaster and Morecambe College.

The finalists in the Millom School stage of the competition had to prepare a two-course meal for under £5 in an hour and a quarter.

Millom School’s new £1.5m all-weather sports pitch opened in 2007.

It is a huge boost to pupils and the wider community.

Members of the local sporting community, school staff and guests watched as headteacher Ian Smith and former headteacher Les Higgins officially cut the ribbon.

Afterwards, pupils poured on to the pitch, eager to try out the new facilities. They put the new surface through its paces as Millom School band played the theme turn from Match of the Day.

Students raised the curtain on the new pitch by taking part in a five-a-side football tournament.

Mr Smith said: "I think this is a wonderful new facility for the residents of Millom and the surrounding areas.

"I'm delighted we have such a high-quality venue for students and others to use."

The new complex had been three years in the planning and took a year to build.

It featured a floodlit all-weather sports pitch, four changing rooms, match officials' changing rooms, a first aid room, disabled access, a covered spectators' area and a pavilion.

Mark Harper, Cumbria Rugby Union community coach, said: "With this new facility we can develop the next generation of players and give coaching to those in the area."