THE great Bolton School bake-off is hotting up.

The finalists have now been selected after three rounds of the competition in which pupils had to create a miniature pastry product, either savoury or sweet.

Young chefs created everything from Lancashire rose shaped pasties and even Bury black pudding tarts.

Star baker was year eight Hamzah Babaria, who created a curried chicken and vegetable roulade. The judges agreed that his creation was "well-presented and each of the six mini-pastries was consistent, as well as tasting very good".

Nine entrants made it through to the fourth round — the semi-final, where they had to make mini-desserts on the theme of "old meets new".

Some of pupils opted to make layered desserts while others chose to make cakes or puddings.

Those who went through were year seven's Jack Tyldesley and year eight's pupils Safa Patel, Asmara Stubley and Issy Plant.

Issy who won the Star Baker award for her twist on a traditional trifle.

Served in a shot glass, this consisted of elderflower jelly with a raspberry at the base, layered with panna cotta and topped with cream which had been whipped with Eton Mess. She served this with a sandwich of homemade shortbread biscuits filled with fresh raspberries and cream, and a quartet of fresh raspberries.

In the final the pupils will have to create a showstopper.

Pupils will be expected to create the whole product from scratch in school during the 50-minute competition period.