Schools from Esk Valley Learning Network took part in exciting Cooking Bus sessions.

The children were mainly aged seven to nine and from years two, three and four.

Organiser Liz Orland, headteacher of Egton School, said: "They have had a marvellous time.

"We gave a session to Eskdale School as a thank you for hosting the bus.

"We made a Mexican chilli bean and cheese potato dish and the children said they would love to go back on the bus again.

"It is great for food education we do a lot of cooking in school and we have a cookery club."

Teacher Fiona Mottue from Danby School said: "The children really, really enjoyed themselves.

"We do some cooking at school but nothing on this scale, all our year three and four went.

"They made a peach and raspberry crumble and couscous salad, it was all about healthy eating."

The bus is sponsored by the Food Standards Agency and run by the Focus on Food campaign to support the teaching of cooking in schools across the UK.

Pupils climb aboard for lessons under the expert eye of the food teacher Shirley Malone.

Cooking Bus tours the country delivering lessons to children of all ages in how to prepare, cook and enjoy real food.

Pupils cover aspects of food education including nutrition, food safety and hygiene and food preparation skils. The core of all lessons is hands-on cooking.

Cooking Bus has been developed to get across healthy eating and food safety messages to children who make finished dishes to eat there and then, or take home for tea.

The bus itself opens out to provide a fully equipped state-of-the-art classroom/kitchen for 16 students.

Teachers also went back to the cookery classroom to brush up their culinary skills.

They made dishes and did a taste test between a smoothie with real milk and soya milk.

Egton, St Hedda's, Goathland, Lealholm, Danby and Castleton school children all enjoyed the sessions.

All schools will now get a £375 grant to buy a special cooking trolley to use for cookery lessons.