Behind the scenes of Davison's Bakery, Newark, at Christmas time

We were invited for a sneak peak at a Newark bakery which has churned out more than 1,000 mince pies this Christmas.

Everyone in Newark knows Davison's Bakery on Appletongate, whether you pop in for a cob for your lunch or grab a butterscotch tart on the way home.

But have you wondered what it's like behind the scenes of the busy bakery, particularly during its busiest month of December?

One of our reporters was shown where the real magic happens, and by magic, we mean where dedicated Davison's staff roll up their sleeves and get stuck in to feed the masses.

Owners Rebekah and Richard Davison run a tight ship, both working around the clock to ensure the shop is fully stocked with baked goods and Christmas orders ready for pick-ups.

Richard arrives at the bakery as early as 2am some days to ensure a smooth operation, with Rebekah sorting out their three kids before making her way to work.

"Sometimes one of us will pull up on the driveway at home and high five the other on the way out to work," said Rebekah. "We keep the van running so it's warm.

"We are very busy this time of year. Everything we make is fresh and we can't do things well in advance, so it's usually the day before or on the day.

"It has been full on with it being the busiest month of the year."

While a lot of festive treats have completely sold out — including the Christmas graze box — Davison's still has lots on offer for people to pick up as gifts ahead of the big day.

This includes yule logs, star stacks, Christmas jumpers, brownie trees, cupcakes, sticky toffee pudding and many mince pies.

Asked whether any new coronavirus restrictions would affect their Christmas and new year operation, Rebekah said: "We're closing over Christmas and probably won't open until after new year — we and our staff all need a deserved break and I don't think it will affect our plans.

"We'll have to see what comes in January.

"We had to close in March last year because of lockdown and became a delivery service overnight.

"It's a very scary prospect and it's not something we fancy doing again but if we have to, we will do what it takes to continue serving our customers.

"We're launching a new website in January so that may also help, as at the moment I'm taking all the order myself."