Confectioner is now teaching her art

Every working day, confectioner extraordinary Katherine Ashdown, 29, drops her daughter at school, and then settles down to her almost unique occupation, making “sweet trees”.

Sweet trees are edible “house-plants” made from chocolate and other sweetshop goodies. Almost too beautiful to eat, they are designed to form the centrepiece and cause gasps at parties and functions.

Katherine’s creations, made at her Great Wakering home, have proved so alluring she now holds regular classes for people from all over Essex – and further afield – to pass on the tricks of her trade.

She says: “People come from all over the place – Wales, Scotland, Chester, even France. I was in education previously, and this is a good way of making use of my teaching experience – my degree in education is still being put to good use.”

Increasing demand means that the number of classes has doubled, year on year.

Katherine discovered the idea of sweet trees in America, but under the banner Sweet Cheeks Trees has developed the concept to an unmatched level. Entirely self-taught, she said: “My trees are the result of years of experimentation.”

The outstanding feature of Katherine’s showpieces are the edible heads, something which she devised, and which nobody had done before.

As if all this was not enough, Katherine also has another job. Southend United fans and players will recognise her as bar manager at Roots Hall, the club’s ground.

She says: “Working by myself at home, it can get a bit lonely. Bar work provides a social life.”