A RYEDALE chocolatier has cooked up seasonal treats for sweet-toothed people who want to give the plum pudding a miss.

Chocolate maker Chris East, who runs The Chocolate Factory at Thornton-le-Dale and in Hutton-le-Hole with his brother Gareth, has created a chocolate Christmas pudding.

"It's something different at Christmas. If people want to pass on the figgy pudding but not seem rude, they could have one of our handmade chocolates out of this hollow chocolate pudding decorated with holly leaves," said Chris, 28, originally from Guildford.

He has also created jolly chocolate Father Christmases with presents for stocking fillers in mind. Another chocolate speciality he provides are mobile phones.

The Chocolate Factory, which has prospered since the first shop opened 15 months ago, is gathering a reputation for its fresh handmade chocolates and animals Thornton-le-Dale ducks and Hutton-le-Hole sheep are especially popular with tourists.

Updated: 11:45 Wednesday, December 10, 2003