Baking extraordinaire Laura Adlington was beaten in the Great British Bake Off final.

The Gravesend-born baker struggled with her timings in her last few bakes and didn't quite do enough to beat Peter.

In the final show the trio were asked to make custard slices in the signature bake which left Laura in tears as her creation failed to set in time.

Judge Paul Hollywood said: "I love the flavours but the puff pastry is not good. It's like a cracker."

For the technical, Prue Leith asked them to make walnut whirls and said Laura's were "delicious but could have had a second longer in the oven." She came third.

And for the showstopper, which was meant to represent their time on the show, she made a rainbow dessert tower which included Chelsea buns, lime tarts and nougatine on a carrot and walnut cake - which Prue described as "heavenly."

She added: "You are such a good baker and are so good with flavour."

But it wasn't enough to beat Peter in the final.

Laura was at the centre of controversy last week as many felt Hermine should have made it to the final instead of her.

But she had had a steady run from the start, sometimes missing the spot with presentation but always being praised for her flavours.

She was given the coveted title of star baker in pastry week after stunning judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith with her botanical themed Garden of Kent caged tart show-stopper.

In the signature round, the bakers were challenged with making a Cornish classic, the humble pasty.

Laura, who lives in Halling, chose to fill hers with leek, potato and pancetta which garnered high praise from the judges with Prue dubbing the goods as "heaven."

But in following weeks, she was almost sent home when her ice cream cake in the showstopper challenge melted.

At the start of the competition, the digital manager, who in her spare time volunteers for the Samaritans, said: "It was so surreal walking into the tent for the first time. My stomach was in knots and I was so nervous but excited at the same time.

"It was a dream come true to finally be in 'the' tent. I kept pinching myself."

She added: "I was really excited about the whole experience but I think I was especially excited to meet [new host] Matt Lucas. I saw him in Les Mis last year and he was incredible. I was very star struck when I first saw him and made a bit of a fool out of myself. I think my first words to him were 'OMG I love you'."

The 31-year-old began baking at around the age of eight but only realised her flair for it a few years ago.

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