SEVEN-YEAR-OLD Trowbridge boy Josh Holder got the chance to cook with a chef to the stars before feeding a host of exotic animals at London Zoo after winning a TV show's competition.

Josh, a pupil at Holbrook Primary School, conjured up a healthy animal-themed recipe with his mum Maureen, a dinnerlady, to win first prize in the competition organised by BBC kid's show Planet Cook.

Josh and his mum were taken to a luxury London hotel as part of the prize before embarking on the safari-themed day at London Zoo on April 9. Mrs Holder, 46, of Mallow Close, said they came up with the dish, Zebra stripes, using potatoes, meat, broccoli florets for trees and sweetcorn for pebbles.

She said: "There were ten winners overall. We were taken by train to London and taxi to the Hilton in Kensington. "The next day the kids were picked up in jeeps and we were taken to London Zoo. "A chef from Pinewood Studios, who has cooked for Madonna and Angelina Jolie, cooked with the children."

The competition winners were then taken to the zoo, where they fed giraffes and lemurs.

"Josh was very excited. He loved it. He has been to Longleat and Bristol Zoo before but that is not the same as feeding the animals," Mrs Holder said.

"All the other children at the zoo were jealous as anything." The idea behind the competition prize was to show how well animals eat, to promote healthy eating among children.

In the show celebrity chef Kevin Woodward guides three young cook cadets through the creation of a healthy meal, with comedienne Ruby Wax providing the voice for super computer sidekick, Roxy.

Mrs Holder, who works as a dinnerlady at Studley Green Primary School, said healthy eating is something she firmly believes in.

"At the primary school we make everything from scratch. Healthy eating is becoming more important," she said. "Josh eats all his vegetables he's really good."

Animals at London Zoo are kept on a strict diet. Meercats, for example, have tailored meals to reduce their cholesterol levels.