MASTERCHEF stars cooked up a storm in Meavy to raise more than £2,000 in memory of a young British snowboarder who took her own life.

Tom Elson-Knight and Stephen Ford, both former contestants in the recent BBC Masterchef competition, took to the kitchen of the Royal Oak Inn to impress visitors with their culinary skills.

The event was organised by landlord Stephen Earp for the Ellie Soutter Foundation — a charity set up after talented snowboarder for Great Britain Ellie Soutter took her own life on her 18th birthday last year.

Stephen Earp knew Ellie and her family personally, which is why he decided to raise funds for the foundation. He said: ‘I was devastated last year when I heard the news that my friend’s daughter had taken her own life. She would have been 18 on that day.

‘I met Ellie and her father Tony a few years before when I had taken my own daughters on a skiing holiday to Led Gets in the French Alps. Ellie had offered to take Rebecca and Imogen up the mountain and teach them to snowboard.

‘ The friendship started then and we spent many a happy time eating and drinking together whenever we would visit Les Gets.

‘Ellie was a talented and dedicated snowboarder. Her efforts finally paid off when she was offered a place on the GB snowboarding team.

‘I stayed with Ellie and Tony at their home in June last year. From the outside it looked like Ellie was living the perfect life, living in a fantastic location, competing at the top level of her chosen sport, a sport she had been involved in for most of her life but the pressures must have been immense and unfortunately and tragically, she took her own life on July 25, 2018.

‘Tony set up the Ellie Soutter Foundation to support promising winter sports athletes both financially and personally.

‘I decided to put on a dinner at the Royal Oak to raise funds for the foundation.

‘I was lucky enough to meet Tom Elson-Knight and Stephen Ford in the pub one night.

‘They were both contestants on this year’s BBC Masterchef.

‘They didn’t take much convincing to give up their time and be involved in this worthy cause.

‘The dinner sold out in a matter of hours and they cooked some amazing food on the night and guests managed to raise £2,060 on the night and I would like to thank everyone involved.’

The evening was supported by Trevethan gin and St Austell wines.

All the money raised from the evening will be going to the foundation.

Anyone who would like to support the foundation can visit www.gofundme.com/riding2win