A BASINGSTOKE care home hosted the final of a national Christmas-themed bake-off competition.

Resident and chef teams from Gracewell Healthcare homes across the country competed for the accolade of star baker at Pemberley House care home, in Grove Road.

Teams competing chose recipes from the theme of decades – their grandma’s traditional recipe from the 1950s or their favourite gingerbread house from the 1970s.

Artisan baker Jan Barrett, from The Bakehouse, in Old Basing, was on hand to cast her expert eye over the cakes along with colleague Hilma Nardi.

Mrs Barrett said: “The standard was excellent and I really enjoyed hearing the stories behind each one of the cakes. Baking is great fun, young or old, and it is an excellent way to bring people together. Well done to everybody who took part.”

Gracewell Healthcare chief executive Peter Curtis said: “Bake-off fever gripped the nation this summer and was a firm favourite with our residents so we thought that we would hold our own Christmas version of the competition.

“It was a fantastic day and I thoroughly enjoyed being a judge. The cakes were excellent and I would like to congratulate everyone who took part – you are all star bakers.”

It was a double whammy for homes in Camberley, with Randell House scooping the prize for top resident team and Abercorn House awarded the winning chef team.