PRIMARY schools in and around Okehampton will meet flamboyant chef Gordon Le Rotter this week when he will teach pupils how to reduce the amount of food they waste.

The eccentric celebrity chef, along with his puppet sidekick Pierre, will use recipe concoctions and supermarket trips to show pupils how they can reduce, re-use and recycle their food.

The 45-minute show supports the national Love Food Hate Waste campaign, which aims to combat the staggering £610 worth of food the average family throws away each year.

Headteacher of Okehampton Primary Brian Cunningham said: 'The show is clearly designed to put over the important message about food wastage and is done is a great way which the children can learn from.

'It is aimed at helping and challenging them to think about the ways they can change the way they think about recycling.

'It is the children, at the end of the day, who can make a difference to these things and keep them going.'

County council executive member for environment Cllr Margaret Rogers said: 'We are very excited to have Gordon Le Totter performing to children in Devon.

'Devon County Council has worked hard to promote the three Rs, "Reduce, Re-use and Recycle" and this show will encourage the children to do the same, but with food.

'It will help them think about how to reduce packaging whilst in the shops, reduce food and energy waste in the kitchen and how to compost any vegetable peelings in the garden'.

Gordon le Rotter's visits are via the charity Waste Watch, a leading environmental organisation working to change the way people use the world's natural resources. It is funded by the county council.