The cookathon – repeated across the country – was promoted through Let's Get Cooking, a national network of health cooking clubs for children, adults and communities backed by £20 million from the Big Lottery Fund.

The school has one of the clubs and it meets after lessons on a Tuesday. Already, there are 2,000 of the clubs, the idea of the cookathon being that the participants each prepared and cooked a healthy cottage pie, or alternative healthy meal, at the same time while competing for a £1,000 cash prize.

Norfolk-born Mr Blackiston, from Morston Hall Hotel and Restaurant near Holt, joined youngsters aged four to 11 to cook a pie, with parents, pre-school children and members of the local community, including the Women's Institute, also helping out.

Up to 73 youngsters at the school had been cooking throughout the day, with Mr Blackiston's appearance rounding things off.

Money the school has received from the Lottery helped fund the event, which also received a £30 donation from the Waitrose chain.