HALE’S Junior Bake Off hopeful has made it through to the semi-finals of the CBBC show.


Monty Harrision-Stirling, 12, can now count himself among the 10 best young bakers in Britain.


The Altrincham Grammar School for Boys pupil wowed judges Mary Berry and James Martin with his chocolate and chilli dragon cake, covered in lime icing, with Saturday Kitchen host James praising him as ‘fantastic’.


TV baking darling, Mary, said: "We love originality, creativity and end up with a well-flavoured cake...this has got the lot."


Adding that Monty deserved to go through to the semi-final as his showstopper was ‘outstanding’.


Monty’s proud family all tuned in to watch him on Monday November 18, with more than 30 friends, ‘squashing’ into their Westminster Road home, according to his mum Christina.


“The tension was unbearable - and as he almost dropped his chocolate and chilli cake when turning it out we all screamed,” she said


Christina added that while she was taking her eight-year-old son, Myles, to St Primary Vincent's School the next morning, ‘we were stopped every second by children and parents who'd cheered on Monty’.


Monty said: "Watching yourself on TV is very strange, all the nerves I felt that day came back to me.


“It was wonderful to see the other bakers too who were great fun and have fantastic skills.


“It's wonderful to have the chance to bake in front of such legends like Mary Berry and James Martin and their comments were really positive.


“I was delighted when Aaron Craze announced I'd won, but it was a complete surprise."

• Catch Monty in the semi-final of Junior Bake Off on the CBBC Channel at 4.30pm on November 25.