The head chef of a north Norfolk care home has double cause to celebrate - marking her 21 st year of employment at the home and passing a new qualification.

Chantelle Lown was just 18 when she became a care assistant at The Manor House in North Walsham, which is run by East Anglian care provider Healthcare Homes.

She enjoyed that role for a decade before taking a new position as a kitchen assistant, being promoted to assistant chef in 2005 and head chef two years later.

Alongside her employment success, Chantelle has also gained a number of qualifications during her 21 years at the home, including NVQ level two in food processing and cooking, NCFE level two in nutrition and health and most recently her NVQ level three in hospitality supervision.

Chantelle, who lives in North Walsham with her husband Mark and Dalmatian dog Molly, said: 'It has been great working at The Manor House over the last 21 years. The home is a place where hard work is recognised and rewarded, which has been very fulfilling. I never thought I would get my level three NVQ – I wasn't very good at school, so gaining qualifications through the home has been a real confidence boost for me.'

Emma Cooper, manager of The Manor House, said: 'Chantelle runs a four-star kitchen as awarded by North Norfolk District Council and successfully leads a team of 11 staff – this includes conducting staff supervisions, controlling kitchen staff rotas, ordering and managing stock levels and adhering to budget requirements. We would be lost without her and hope she will be with us for many more years to come.'