A TEENAGER crowned school bake-off champion at a contest at her Abingdon school was shocked by the surprise appearance of TV chef Mary Berry.

St Helen and St Katharine School charity bake-off winner Imogen Dooley, 15, was given a cookery book prize bythe judge on the BBC’s The Great British Bake Off.

The 79-year-old grandmother, whose grandchildren go to the school, agreed to surprise students at the Faringdon Road school on Thursday.

Imogen said: “I was overwhelmed and over the moon that such an inspirational woman would take the time to come and judge our charity bake off. It was fantastic.”

The competition was whittled down to nine finalists from the 700-strong school.

At each stage over the last few weeks, cakes were sold to raise money for sight charity World Vision.

Mrs Berry said: “It’s great to see the young enjoying baking and raising money for their chosen charity.”

She is one of two judges on The Great British Bake Off, which draws in eight million viewers, and features 13 contestants fighting it out to win the competition.

Mrs Berry was also in Woodstock Road last month at the Fabulous Oxford Baking Competition fundraising event.

This year’s series named clothes designer Frances Quinn as the winner last month.

OXON: More than £26,000 was raised in 12 hours for Children in Need by the county’s firefighters.

Crews from seven stations including Woodstock, Bicester, Bampton, Wheatley, Watlington, Thame and Goring collected the cash during their shift on Friday, November 15.

Chief fire officer David Etheridge said: “Our firefighters are rooted in their communities and Children in Need is the kind of occasion that brings out the best in them.

“Raising such a large sum of money in such a short space of time is a marvellous effort and I congratulate them and thank all of the Oxfordshire people who contributed.”

OXFORD: Customers and staff at Welcome Break Oxford raised more than £20,000.

The service station on the M40 raised the cash on Friday, November 15.

THE VALE: A baby sensory group at Grove Village Hall raised more than £80 with a teddy bear’s picnic.

The cash from the event on Friday, November 15, will be donated to the BBC fundraiser.

W OXON: Pupils wore pyjamas or onesies to raise more than £150.

The children at Woodstock CE Primary School made donations and year six youngsters organised a cake sale on Friday, November 15.

The school also enjoyed a day of Pudsey Bear related activities, a magic show and a visit from Woodstock firefighters.

DIDCOT: Staff at Didcot’s railway station raised £3,324.43 last week.

The Didcot Parkway team set up cake stalls, donned fancy dress and launched an X-Factor ticket giveaway to fundraise for the charity on national Children in Need day.