A talented young Causeway Coast baker, whose charity recipe leaflet sold like...what else but...hot cakes, has raised £1,000 for Arthritis UK.

Junior Bake Off star Lyla from Coleraine charmed viewers around the Causeway Coast and further afield during her recent appearance on the Ch4 show with her incredible skills but even more so, with her bubbly personality and kindness to her fellow contestants.

Having baked her way through cake day, biscuit day (when she was crowned Star Baker) and bread day, Lyla left the contest on dessert day.

13-year-old Lyla has been busy since her TV appearances as she has written and published her own recipe booklet ‘Flavours of Imagination’ featuring her own Showstopper recipes and others with all proceeds going to Arthritis UK.

Lyla who represented NI in the Junior Bake Off show has now raised more than £1,000 for Arthritis UK from sales of her very own recipe booklet.

placeholder image — Lyla who represented NI in the Junior Bake Off show has now raised more than £1,000 for Arthritis UK from sales of her very own recipe booklet.

Lyla was disagnosed with arthritis last year.

Speaking about what she had learned from taking part in the Ch4 baking competition she said: “During my JBO experience I’ve learned to never give up especially during the hard tasks and... TO GET BACK UP AGAIN!”

She added: “‘Get back up again’ was my motto during the whole amazing Junior Bake Off experience. I was diagnosed with arthritis last year and JBO has helped me to get back up again.

"JBO has really helped me improve my skills as a baker. I have baked things I never thought I’d bake, and I’ve met such amazing people and have made friends for life. I have learnt that I can give anything a go!

"JBO has helped me to believe in myself. I am so proud to have been the only child picked from Northern Ireland and am delighted to have represented our little country. It has been a wonderful baking journey that I will never forget.”

Flavours of Imagination was stocked in a number of Coleraine shops...and immediately sold out! The booklet was restocked TWICE and has raised a fantastic £1,000 for Arthritis UK – so far…

‘Flavours of Imagination’ is available in McCreadies Nearby, 60 Daneshill Road, Coleraine; Cedar & Circle Bookstore, 25 Railway Road, Coleraine and John Laverty Opticians, 15 High Street, Ballymoney. The booklet costs just £5.

Anyone wishing to donate to Lyla’s fundraising efforts for Arthritis UK can do so by visiting her JustGiving page.