FARMER and racehorse owner Herbert Hutchinson reckoned he was a bit of a long shot when he entered the decorated chocolate cake competition at his local pub.

However, he confounded regulars at the Christmas bash of the Sunday Club, at the Cross Keys, in Eastgate, Weardale, County Durham, by gaining first prize from 21 entries.

Amid cheers from other chocolate cake fanciers, Herbert admitted that he owed a sizeable slice of his success to the efforts of his wife, Kathleen.

"It's grand to come first past the post, even if I did have a lot of help from the wife," said Herbert, a founder member of the Sunday Club, which has been responsible for such memorable competitions as hay-sniffing, pork-pie baking and Easter egg-jarping.

"The local community has really warmed to these events. They may seem a bit zany, but they are becoming a central part of the social life in the upper dale."

Herbert's cake was judged first past the post by a panel, headed by home economics teacher Margaret Gibbons, who admitted to being "pleasantly surprised" by the large number of entries.

She pronounced Herbert's cake as having "a very nice intricate design and a sophisticated flavour".

"A lot of effort went into making all the cakes.

"It's not easy to make a really good chocolate cake - it takes a lot of expertise," she said.

For their efforts, the first nine entries in the competition were presented with giant chocolate fruit and nut bars, provided by a national chocolate manufacturer.

All cakes in the competition were auctioned off, for a total of £270. The money will go towards village church and chapel funds