A Royal Navy chef has been sharing his tips on how to turn the humble pancake into a gourmet delight with his class at HMS Raleigh.

Before Pancake Day, Leading Chef (LChef) Leon Hutchinson, who is an instructor at the Defence Maritime Logistics School, gave some of the junior chefs a lesson in making the treat.

The 26-year-old said: ’I wouldn’t say there is trick to making the perfect pancake. With pancakes and any cooking it’s about confidence and being able to produce what’s required.

’You want it to look good and taste good. I’m a big fan of fruit so that’s what I’ve used, but I’ve also got a sweet tooth, so my preference for a pancake topping would probably be hazelnut chocolate spread.’

Most Royal Navy warships will mark Pancake Day with chefs working hard to make up to 300 pancakes for the Ship’s Company using in the region of 300 eggs, 10 kilos of flour and six gallons of milk.