It may be a far cry from cooking on an open camp fire, but scouts have shown just how competent chefs they are by cooking up a treat in a culinary contest.

A challenge to serve up their best plates of food for a pair of judges had four groups of youngsters battling it out as a popular annual culinary contest returned.

The scouts from across Lowestoft created a range of creative menus as they took part in the Lowestoft and District Scouts cookery competition, which was held once more on Sunday at the Pakefield Scout headquarters in Kendal Road.

With some really creative menus prepared, the four teams moved away from cooking with a billycan on an open fire fuelled by burning logs as they demonstrated their culinary talents with impressive three-course meals.

The teams of three scouts battled it out to impress the judges – with the task of cooking a meal using just a two-ring gas burner and with ingredients costing less than £15.

With the teams of three from the 1st Pakefield, 14th Lowestoft, 4th Lowestoft and 1st Blundeston troops, a spokesman said: "The scouts were required to prepare and cook a three-course meal on two gas burner rings.

Lowestoft Journal: Some of the menus created.Some of the menus created. (Image: 14th Lowestoft Scouts)

"They had two hours in which to undertake the challenge with the ingredients having to be bought for less than £15.

"Points were awarded for originality of menu, cost breakdown, cleanliness, presentation, quality of each cooked dish, timekeeping, teamwork and organisation and clearing up."

Pleased with how the contest had gone, assistant district commissioner for scouts, Richard Brabben, said: “I was impressed by the variety and complexity of menus and the way in which the young scouts worked together.

“The judges, Shirley Hoad and Paul Howard had a lovely time tasting all the 12 different dishes and the competition result was extremely close - with the 1st Pakefield troop taking the honours, pipping the 14th Lowestoft by three points.”