BATTLE lines were drawn across the floor of a kitchen as youngsters slaved over pots and pans in a hotly contested cooking competition.

Twenty-six students – split into two groups – went head-to-head to wow the palates of three chef judges from Redbridge College.

They whipped up a host of eye-catching healthy main courses at Caterham High School, Caterham Avenue, Clayhall, with just �4.50 to each spend on ingredients.

The two winners of the Redbridge Rotary Club-organised event will compete in a regional final on Saturday in Westminster College.

Della Sherwood, the school’s head of food technology, said: “It was a really successful day.

“They cooked to a superb standard and created a range of multi-ethnic dishes, including Thai and Greek food.”

Redbridge Mayor Cllr Jim O’Shea was on hand to watch the teenage chefs from 13 different borough schools at work, as they used their 90 minutes of cooking time to be as creative as possible.