The entertaining presenter of BBC 2's popular cookery show Ready Steady Cook served up a delicious seared haddock with chick pea and chorizo along side pineapple and pecan pancakes in front of an audience of 200 and he was quick to enlist the help of one Bramham woman's chopping skills.

Jill Robertshaw, a member of the Bramham branch of the NSPCC committee, who co-organised the event, took to the stage to help Ainsley prepare the food.

"I quickly informed Ainsley I was no good at chopping in high heels so I removed my shoes which prompted Ainsley to do the same much to the amusement of the audience!" she said.

Vincent Ford from co-organisers, the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign (MDC), was next and, as Shrove Tuesday is fast approaching, the chef was keen to get him making pancakes.

After the cooking demonstrations everyone enjoyed a delicious supper of chicken served with cous cous, roasted vegetables and a green salad followed by a chocolate and orange log, all cooked by members of the two charities.

During coffee, Ainsley drew the raffle helped by Bramham NSPCC branch members Alison Kitson and Margaret Morgan.

Many prizes had been donated, including dinner for six cooked in your own home from Friends for Dinner of Tadcaster, a round of golf for four from Pannal Golf Club, four golf lessons kindly donated by Martin Heggie from Moortown Golf Club and a hamper of Ainsley's products from food firm Symington's.

Secretary of the Bramham NSPCC branch, Margaret Morgan, said: "Ainsley finished the evening by answering questions from the audience and he would have clearly gone on in to the early hours if he hadn't had to leave!

"He made time during the morning to go and visit the committee members while they were setting up the hall and in the evening he rolled up his sleeves to help the kitchen ladies Sue and Dolly with the washing up!"

David Salkeld the CEO of dried food specialist Symington's, who stock and market Ainsley's food products, thanked his wife Catherine, a member of the Bramham NSPCC, for intially thinking of the charity night with Ainsley at the helm.

The event raised more than £6,000 for both charities and was heralded a major success.

susannah.berry@ypn.co.uk