A care home baked a giant scone to get the bottom of an age-old argument – which should you spread first on a scone, jam or cream?

The giant scone, measuring 29 centimetres in diameter, was made by the chefs at The Spinney care home in Chingford to mark British Food Fortnight (October 21 to September 6).

Pupils from Normanhurst School joined the care home for the official measuring.

The bake was undertaken to resolve ongoing debate about whether a scone should have the jam or cream put on first.

A poll on the home’s Facebook showed people are split on the issue with 32 per cent voting for cream first and 68 per cent for jam.

Jacky Fitzpatrick, manager of the Spinney said: “We thought we would have a bit of fun for British Food Fortnight but were rather taken aback by the strength of feeling over this issue.

“It would appear that people in Chingford are just as passionate as the Cornish and the Devonians are”.

The home turned for guidance from Darren McGrady, a former royal chef, who worked for the Queen and Princess Diana.

He said: “The Queen always had homemade Balmoral jam first with clotted cream on top at Buckingham Palace garden parties in the royal tea tent and all royal tea parties”.

The giant scone contained 2 kilos of flour, 230 grams of sugar, 4 eggs, and 230 grams of butter.

For the fillings, 460 grams of jam and 500 millilitres of cream were used.

The scone was measured by care home resident Paddy Green, 95, and decorated – following the Queen’s example - with jam first and cream applied second by children from Normanhurst School.

Resident Virginia Garland said: “Well I think it should be cream first then jam – but if the other way around is how the Queen likes it then who am I to argue.”