TWO much-loved cooks have turned off the soup and made their last quiche for the café at Holy Trinity Church, Skipton.

For the past seven years, Anna Stead and her sister, Maria Chapman, have produced delicious home-made food and welcomed visitors from near and far to the café – at the top of the High Street - always sure of a warm welcome.

Such has been their reputation that customers and tourists have returned, week after week, or each year on a holiday to the area, not only wholesome food, but for a friendly word, a laugh or, sometimes, a shoulder to cry on.

Members of St Mark’s Church, Utley, Anna and Maria have run the café with a Christian spirit, assisted by a team of willing volunteers during the week while Saturdays have seen an army of local teenagers working as back up, all ‘trained up’ by the two ladies who have valued everyone as a friend.

Rector, the Rev Veronica James said: “Anna and Maria’s Christian outreach has enriched the life of the Church and so many people over the last few years. We have been blessed to have them working for us and will miss them enormously.”