PRIMARY school children celebrated Christmas with an Italian flavour thanks to a visit from a local chef.

The topic of Italy came alive for the children of Holbeton primary school in the person of Italian chef Matteo Lamaro from the Curator Coffee Shop and Kitchen in Totnes.

Matteo talked to the children about his home country, and shared Italian Christmas treats like a panettone. Then he demonstrated how to make pasta, before children got a chance to make and roll out their own.

Pupils then moved on to sweeter treats, making delicious gingerbread which they fashioned into realistic little houses and a church decorated with icing sugar piping.

The gingerbread houses were so good children decided to sell them to raise money for the Italian earthquake victims’ appeal.

They were auctioned by parent Simon Edwards, who is a consultant neurologist at Derriford Hospital as well as a leading light in local amateur dramatics group the Holbeton Players. With surgical skill Simon extracted the sum of £185.02 from enthusiastic parents and teachers.

The day was an all round success, according to a school spokesman, and a lot more fun than the old days of making jam tarts in domestic science classes.