WELCOME to the Great Bolton Bake Off — as youngsters went back to school a week early for some home economics lessons.

These bright young things are starting in year seven at Sharples School this week — but they went into class a week early to learn the secrets of a perfect bake.

The secondary school held its fourth summer school to introduce youngsters to the school and give them a taster session of the lessons they will be doing — including home economics in which they made fairy cakes.

The children also had a chance to see the appliance of science in action when they created their own baths bombs and packaged them as gifts.