TWO accomplished chefs have inspired Mid Devon pupils to grow and prepare their own produce as their school looks to underline its green credentials.

Chulmleigh Primary School now aims to celebrate food with an annual harvest festival following Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's televised crusade, which last year aimed to educate consumers about food origins.

And right back last year, a range of aubergines, courgettes and other fresh vegetables grown by green-fingered youngsters were cooked in a mammoth ratatouille with the help of Michelin-starred chef Mark Dodson, from the Masons Arms in Knowstone.

Headteacher Richard Sampson, proudly pointed out that the school had received the eco-school environmental accolade from the Keep Britain Tidy organisation for the third time. He said: "Each class has a bed allocated to them in the polytunnel and the teachers and classroom assistants take them out to tend to it regularly.

"What we now do in the summer term is have a harvest festival. We did our first last year, following Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's television series about the celebration of local food. We now want to celebrate local produce every year.

"Last year, we had two chefs working with us.

"The food harvested from the tunnel was cooked in a huge ratatouille and the children were also involved in decorating the tables and producing the drinks.

"Then they all sat down for the big meal in the school field in celebration of sustainability.

"We'll do something similar this year and maybe we'll get Mark again if we ask him nicely. He was brilliant and he is a very supportive parent too."

Mr Sampson explained fruit and vegetable waste was used as compost to nourish the pupils' flourishing produce.

Reception and foundation stage pupils have their own raised beds in the playground, while their older schoolmates work on their polytunnel patches, which are shared with the town's community college.

Mr Sampson added: "We have been awarded the eco-school status for the third time, but I think we need to move forward. We are good at recycling and being sustainable, but we also need to think more about energy generation."