A 12-year-old cook has created a winning dessert which this week will be eaten by chums unafraid of getting sticky fingers.

Toby Sears is proud victor of a restaurant sponsored competition at Wilmington Academy, Common Lane, Dartford.

He said: “Baking runs in the family.

“My great-granddad owned a bakery and my nan is an inspiration in this field.

“I do lots of baking at home and when I leave college I’d like to be a patisserie chef. I’m learning a lot at this academy.”

His recipe was chosen from 20 entries by Scott McKenzie , head chef at the academy specialising in business and enterprise.

They were set the challenge by Cucina Restaurants to come up with a recipe idea which could be a main meal, dessert or cake.

And it was Toby’s sticky toffee muffin which got the chef’s taste buds going.

Mr McKenzie tasted them from a final shortlist, preparing them himself from the recipes submitted.

“The categories had to have a British influence and Toby’s was really good, it being laced with a sprinkling of sea salt, a twist which gave it quite a nice flavour,” said Mr McKenzie.

Now his creation will appear on the school’s menu, called Toby’s Sticky Toffee Muffin priced at £1 for the 900 pupils wanting to give it a try.

The Cucina chain puts trained chefs into school kitchens and now operates in 47 state secondary schools and academies.

The Dartford location cooks everything from fresh ingredients with many coming from its very own horticultural garden where students grow their own fruit and veg.

Mr McKenzie, who has a background in fine dining and has previously worked at restaurants around Kent and Hertfordshire, said: “I’m very proud of Toby. I think his sticky toffee muffin is going to go down well.”