It can often take a long time for children to figure out what they really want to do when they grow up – but one nine-year-old from Wymondham already has her heart set on a tasty career.
Airlie Pigg, nine, started baking regularly with her mum and 'sous chef' Victoria at the beginning of the first lockdown last March to help her adjust to lockdown life.
Young-baking-enthusiast-hosts-online-cook-alongs
Mrs Pigg said: "We've always done a little bit of baking, but at the beginning of lockdown when she was struggling I suggested we went live on my Facebook for fun.
"We told our friends so they could watch and take part. We made a little private group online so I could accept people I knew. Every Monday we would post a recipe, and on the Friday afternoon we'd bake.
"She loves it, and I think a big part of it for her is seeing other people enjoy it too."
Airlie is now a veteran of more than 200 cook-alongs, and always dons her own branded apron which was made for them by a family friend.
She's had so much practice she's now able to bake most things by herself.
"She can basically do it all herself now, so sometimes I just leave her to it if she wants to bake. I'm very much the assistant in the kitchen," said Mrs Pigg.
Her exploits saw her recently join in with the Captain Tom 100 Challenge, for which she aimed to create 10 boxes containing 10 baked treats each to give out to friends and family.
But her idea proved so popular 21 boxes were created and distributed, raising £278 for Star Throwers, the Wymondham cancer charity where her mum works.
Airlie has been enjoying her baking so much that she now plans to open her own cake shop when she is older called 'Pigg's Patisserie' – inspired by the success of 19-year-old Morgan Lewis, who opened her own store in Attleborough earlier this year.
Mrs Pigg said: "She'd love to open her own bakery and café. We're quite inspired by the lady who opened Bakeaholics in Attleborough.
"Seeing her do that so young and so successfully, Airlie is very keen to do something like that."
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here