THE nation’s best-loved baker smiled her way through her latest book-signing for a crowd of bustling baking enthusiasts.

Fans flooded out the doors of The Barns, in Abingdon, for the chance to natter with special guest Mary Berry.

The Great British Bake Off judge was in town supporting family at the charity Street Hope’s Christmas Fair.

Speaking with the Oxford Mail, the 81-year-old looked ahead to Christmas celebrations of her own with family, many based in Abingdon.

She said: “All the family are round ours for Christmas, we go to church first of all in the morning at 8am before heading back home to prepare.

“I look forward to getting the whole family together, there will be about 13 of us and three dogs and I don’t mind it one bit.”

The baker takes the reins for Christmas dinner but said everyone chips in and her must-have homemade trifle is a must-have for her son.

Speaking about Friday’s fair the star added: “I am supporting my daughter-in-law [Sarah Hunnings] and it is an excellent charity that benefits a lot of people locally.

The event was all in aid of Burford-based charity Street Hope which works with children in the UK and Kenya.

Founder Katharine Cookson said: “I set up Street Hope in 2011 and it was all about taking vulnerable children from the UK to Kenya to work with other children. That combination of the two cultures is so powerful.

“In the past we have worked with groups in Cutteslowe and we hope to take a group from Barton to Kenya.”

The charity has planning permission to build a children’s home in Kenya and has already helped bring a water supply to the village of Miti Mingi. It hopes to raise £100,000 to start building.

Ms Cookson added: “Its the most rewarding work, when you see the impact the trip to Kenya can have on quite troubled people. It is life transforming.”