SCHOOLGIRLS in Altrincham found the recipe for success when challenged to design a ‘young people’s’ menu for Manchester’s newest hospital.

The girls, all pupils at Altrincham Grammar School for Girls (AGGS), took part in a competition to design menu covers for Spire Manchester Hospital in Didsbury.

The five winners were then invited to the hospital to carry out taste tests on several of the dishes featured on the menu.

Head Chef Pete Moran said: “We were delighted with the quality of designs created by these girls and thought it would be a good idea to also get their opinions on the sort of dishes we would be serving up to patients aged between three and 16-years-old.

“It is very important for us to get the balance right. Healthy food is easy but we want to create healthy food that our younger patients will actually enjoy eating.

"Their responses were very positive. Although one or two selections received the scrunched up ‘face of disapproval’ nearly all of them were given a big thumbs up!

“I think the two most popular choices were jacket potato with a variety of fillings and lasagne, while home-made tomato soup proved a surprising success.”

The girls, Parnika Jalvalkar, Parissa Alam, Yvonne Gao, Sophia Zhang and Evie James all received Amazon vouchers, while the school also received £100 of book vouchers.

Hospital Director, Andrew Eadsforth said: “It was a really fun event. The girls didn’t mince their words – if they didn’t like something they let us know.

"However, the main response was very positive and we are confident we have a menu that will go down very well with our young patients.”

Mrs Laura Hurst, Art Teacher at AGGS said: “The students really enjoyed taking part in a real life competition design brief and worked very hard on all of their entries. They produced some diverse, unusual and creative responses and were delighted when I told them they had won.

“They had a lovely morning taste testing and visiting the hospital and we can’t wait to see the final digital versions of their illustrated menu designs.

“It’s been really valuable for the students to see how a hand drawn design can then be developed by designers in the art profession, enabling it to be mass produced.”