A PAIR of care assistants at a local home have cleaned up in a national Christmas cake off.

Natalie Burnett and Dee Pickering from Ivydene Residential and Nursing Home in Staniforth Drive, Ivybridge came first and third in Sanctuary Care’s ninth annual Christmas Cake Competition.

Entrants were tasked with making a traditional fruit Christmas cake, iced to their own design and judged at Sanctuary’s Worcester offices.

Natalie’s stunning Victorian mouse and teacup masterpiece was the overall winner of the national contest, which is open to the organisation’s staff in its care homes across the country. She received a generous £250 to spend in the home.

Meanwhile Dee’s Santa sitting on top of a chimney won third place, and a further £100 for the home.

Natalie said: ’It is the first year I have entered the competition so it felt absolutely brilliant to win. I was pleasantly shocked to say the least and our residents were just chuffed to bits, it means so much to all of them.’

Dee said: ’I was over the moon. Up until last year I had never iced a fruit cake before so I was really surprised to win. Our residents absolutely love them.’

Regional manager Christine Sergent said: ’Our residents and the team are over the moon for Natalie and Dee. They are exceptionally talented and have made such beautiful creations we are just bursting with pride.’

Sanctuary Care’s hospitality manager Mark Ord said this year the talent had been stronger than ever before, adding: ’The cakes were absolutely outstanding so a huge well done to Natalie and Dee.’