POP star Alistair Griffin's secret is out - he's a lemon curd fanatic.

But the Castleton-born singer's seven-year ambition to win the class prize at Danby Show was again thwarted last week by 74-year-old Myra Cornforth.

Mrs Cornforth, of Strait Lane, Ainthorpe, has entered preserves, cakes and produce at the show for more than 40 years. She was a dinner lady at Danby School, which Alistair attended, and the pair have become serious, but friendly, rivals when it comes to lemon curd.

Mrs Cornforth said: "There's no secret to my recipe, in fact I gave it to Alistair a few years ago. Whether you win or not depends year to year and on the judges. Last year my granddaughter won."

Alistair's currently uses his prize-winning aunt's recipe - the ingredients are from the Co-op in Castleton.

"When I was little I used to eat lemon curd and I entered things like the animal vegetable class," he said.

"My Auntie Ness used to enter the lemon curd, as well as bread making and scones, and won quite a lot. I took over her lemon curd recipe, but unfortunately I've never had any success, though I did come third a few years ago."

This year he presented a trophy to the show to highlight the achievements of past produce section winners.

The Alistair Griffin Life Times Achievement Award is inscribed "for the pursuit of excellence in the field of lemon curd preserves" and adds "I didn't know you curd."

"Obviously lots of attention goes to the livestock, and I thought it was time lemon curd had its day and that it would be nice to have a cup," he said.

He and the judges decided Mrs Cornforth should be the first winner.

"I've got a bit of a love/hate relationship with Myra," he said, "It's a long-standing rivalry. When we are in the show tent it's serious and we don't talk, but off the lemon curd table we are friends."

Happily, he is having more success with music. He is to record a new album and hopes to go to America with Robin Gibb of Bee Gees fame in the new year.