Mum's the word for festive feast

Mum knows best according to Shropshire families who are six times more likely to turn to family recipes at Christmas time over those of the country's most famous chefs.

Delia Smith, Nigella Lawson and Jamie Oliver all trail in the wake of county mums whose culinary tips have proved them to be the real domestic goddesses, according to a survey by supermarket chain Waitrose.

It found people are more reliant on traditional family recipes rather than glitzy Christmas specials and kitchen-based reality shows.

Charlotte Hutley, Waitrose spokeswoman, said: "Despite the nation's obsession with celebrity cookery programmes, it seems that consumers are far more reliant on trusty family recipes at this all important time of the year.

"It just goes to show that Christmas tradition is a family affair."

The survey showed almost 50 per cent more of Shropshire people will use a family recipe this Christmas rather than one penned by one of the UK's top celebrity chefs.

A mere three per cent will opt to follow Nigella's top tips, and just one per cent will enjoy seasonal fare in the style of Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall.

When it comes to 'making your own' festive pudding, our mother's recipe is ranked three times more popular than that of any celebrity chef.

Delia Smith's pudding recipe came joint second, along with that of people's grannies, but only one per cent said they would follow the instructions of Nigella or Jamie Oliver.

But some regions were keener to show off their culinary skills than others. A total of 42 per cent of those in the Midlands will have no qualms about snapping up a shop bought pud, compared to traditionally 'time poor' Londoners at 34 per cent.

Meanwhile the Waitrose survey showed adventurous northerners will be the only Britons to opt for hi-tech Heston Blumenthal recipes this Christmas.