Warrens Bakery has launched a competition to find the UK’s best young baker.

The rapidly expanding business has this week kicked off a campaign to find its first-ever ‘Young Budding Baker of the Year’.

Entry is open to those aged 16 to 18 across the seven UK regions where Warrens Bakery stores are located. They can be nominated by friends, family, siblings or grandparents.

Warrens Bakery head baker and chair of the Cornish Pasty Association Jason Jobling is helping lead the search.

A shortlisted applicant will be found for each region and these will be invited to a ‘Teach the Craft’ event that will take place in the summer holidays.

The overall winner will tour behind the scenes at Warrens Bakery in Cornwall and have a masterclass with Jobling. They will also help develop a new bake to be sold across Warrens Bakery stores.

And the winner will meet baking star Martha Collison, the youngest-ever contestant on The Great British Bake Off, where she made it to the quarter-finals. She has worked with brands such as Cadbury, Mars and Whitworths, and writes a weekly column for Waitrose.

Additionally, the winner will take home a year’s supply of Warrens Bakery cakes, and a baking course at their local cookery school, worth £250.

Closing date for entries is 1 July 2018. More information on how to nominate a young baker can be found out by visitingwww.warrensbakery.co.uk/buddingbaker.

“Up until February last year, Warrens stores were only in the south west. Our journey over the past 12 months has been incredible, with monthly store openings in regions throughout England,” said Jobling.

The business plans to open 100 more sites throughout the UK over the next five years.