Hackney youngsters were given the low down on bread-baking, in an exercise designed to make them ask questions about the food they eat.

Artisan master baker Ben McKinnon from the E5 Bakehouse in Mentmore Terrace taught the forgotten art to children from Jubilee School in Filey Avenue, Stoke Newington and Sebright Primary School, in Audrey Street, Haggerston.

Jubilee headteacher, Jacqueline Bruton-Simmonds, said: “Somehow, magic was performed and under Ben’s watchful eye all the children were turned into bakers producing great loaves almost as good as the bakery itself.

“I think some of them may have decided to change career choices from footballers and TV presenters to bakers,” she added.

The plan is for the children to make loaves for their own schools’ farmers’ markets in the future.

Lessons in Loaf is a national initiative from the Real Bread Campaign which is part of Sustain, an alliance for better food and farming.

Funding comes from the Big Lottery Fund’s Local Food programme.