A GREAT British Bake Off inspired contest in Stourbridge has brought in the dough for sight loss charity the Beacon Centre.

Staff at the charity organised their own version of the nation’s favourite TV show and even managed to create their own Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood to watch over the proceedings.

Volunteers, service users and staff all baked cakes which were judged by Oldswinford-based ‘Cakes by Sian’ shop owner Sian Thompson.

She was joined on the judging panel by Kate Cooke, of Dudley Mind, whose charity is based next to Beacon at the Mary Stevens Centre, in Hagley Road.

Local poet John Morris, otherwise known as Moggs, who himself has sight loss, also appeared at the event where he performed a poem he had written especially for the occasion.

The judges picked two winners, a strawberry sponge and an orange layer cake which were then sold off in slices to raise funds.

Jackie Tromans, Beacon Centre manager, said: “We have had a wonderful time hosting the Great Beacon Bake Off and our service users have certainly enjoyed tucking into some wonderful cake.

“I would like to thank everyone who has been involved in organising the event, it has been a real team effort by both the staff and volunteers.”

The Stourbridge bake off was the first of several mini baking events which the centre has hosted over the past week, with the charity hoping to have raised up to £160.