Christchurch baker Mark Bennett has honour of creating official platinum jubilee cake for Queen

AWARD-winning baker Mark Bennett has told of his "absolute delight” at being chosen to create the official celebration cake for the Queen’s platinum jubilee.

Mark, who has a patisserie in Christchurch, spent months on the huge five-tiered fruit cake which is decorated with royal crests, crowns, corgis, the Union Jack, Westminster Abbey and flowers.

The cake also has horses and racing pigeons on it in homage to two of the Queen's favourite hobbies. Her Majesty has 200 pigeons at her Sandringham Estate and a stable of successful race horses.

Mark worked with staff from Buckingham Palace to come up with a cake fit for the occasion and which would delight the Queen.

He said: “I could never have imagined that I would contribute to such an unprecedented event in British royal history – the commemoration of Her Majesty’s remarkable 70-year reign.

“I cannot find the words to describe how humbled I am by this honour. Anyone who knows me will know I am a keen royalist and a patriot.”

Mark said the project was surrounded by secrecy until the mammoth cake had been delivered to the palace.

Admitting this was one of the most difficult stages of creating the huge centrepiece Mark said: “I just hope it gets there in one piece!”

He paid tribute to staff at his bakery business which has several outlets in the Dorset area: “This achievement is a testament to our company and the immeasurable contribution of our dedicated team over the last 10 years.”

He also thanked wife Emma saying he could not have “achieved this milestone” without her “unwavering support”.