BEAULEA’S cake studio opened in Knutsford this week and the launch was celebrated with free product samples and glasses of bubbly for customers.

Shop owner Lea Rogers was stunned by the response as King Street shoppers clamoured to place orders on Thursday.

It’s the second shop for artisan cake maker Lea Rogers, who retrained in cake baking and decorating at the Mary Ford School in Dorset after leaving the Navy to have children.

Lea first donned her apron over 20 years ago after a failed attempt to make her parents a silver wedding cake inspired her to enrol at the baking school.

She’s been making bespoke cakes to order ever since, and was even asked to make one for hollywood star Renee Zellweger’s, whose birthday was celebrated while filming Beatrix Potter.

Having opened her first shop in the Lake District six years ago, Lea now teaches the art herself. And half or full day cake decorating lessons will be offered at the Knutsford studio priced from £95 each.

With a growing customer base here and many beautiful boutique, Knutsford was the ideal location for the new shop, Lea said.

Bucking the recession, Lea puts her success down to a bespoke service and traditional ingredients without E numbers or preservatives – which means the cakes taste as good as they look.