A Lancashire pastry chef who learnt the trade from a Swiss master baker in Lytham St Anne’s has returned from 20 years working abroad to open The Deliciously Swiss Artisan Bakery & Patisserie in Didsbury, Manchester.

Mark Cooper opened the doors of his new shop on Valentine’s Day and has met with an enthusiastic response from local people. The shop itself harks back to an old-style village bakery and is decked out in wood with displays of fresh breads and cakes. As well as tiramisu, fruit tarts, cheesecakes, chocolate ganache and Baileys cake, he bakes a range of pumpkin and rye breads, fruit loaves and sunflower cobblers.