A TEMPTING array of ethical edible eats has been on display in the North-East over the weekend.

The North East Vegan Festival returned to Sunderland’s Stadium of Light, attracting over 2,000 guests, today (Sunday, November 2).

The festival is the largest food event of its type in the region, and showcased a vast array of hot and cold foods, including authentic Mediterranean cuisine, East Asian delicacies, vegan cheeses and street foods such as hot dogs and burgers.

There were also a range of sugary treats for sweet-toothed vegans, including candyfloss, organic popcorn, doughnuts and raw chocolate.

In the ‘Booze Zone’, run by a cider specialist and eco brewer, Mike’s Nev Ale, described as a ‘golden, hoppy bitter’ was unveiled by Hill Island Brewery in Durham.

Charity and campaign stalls raised money for the Farplace Animal Rescue organisation that ran the event, as well as for two other welfare charities.

Musical entertainment was provided by a selection of live bands, including Pity Me-based acoustic pop-punk band ONSIND.

Gareth Edwards, chairman of the trustees for Farplace Animal Rescue, ran the event for the first time in November last year, and is proud to continue his involvement in the festival.

He said: “We wanted to show people that there is a wide variety of vegan foods, fashion, alcohol and other goods and services available so that people don’t have to feel limited by a vegan lifestyle.”

“Fifty one per cent of greenhouse gases are caused by the livestock industry so we believe we’re saving the planet by cutting meat out of our diet.

“We want to encourage people not to support intensive farming industries.”