MORE than 30,000 people are expected to visit the Bishop Auckland Food Festival this weekend.

Organisers are busy putting the finishing touches to the annual event, which will take place on Saturday (April26) and Sunday (April 27).

Live cookery demonstrations by Channel Four's Sunday Brunch presenter Simon Rimmer are among the highlights.

The free festival will showcase the best home grown and handmade produce from County Durham and the wider region.

There will be more than 160 stalls and trailers spread across the Market Place and the grounds of Auckland Castle.

Beryl Anderson, who helps organise the event for Durham County Council, said the event had come a long way since ten volunteers came up with the idea.

She said it had become so popular they decided a few years ago to make it a two-day event.

“We have the same footprint for both days and it means you can walk around and explore properly,” she added.

Mr Rimmer, who became known for his innovative vegetarian food, has gone on to become a familiar face on TV, appearing on The Great British Menu, Saturday Kitchen and Something for the Weekend.

Foraging expert and ex-head chef at cookery training centre River Cottage, Mark Lloyd will be appearing both days, as will award winning food writer and broadcaster Richard Fox, a regular on BBC2's Food Poker.

Award-winning butcher Johnny Pusztai is looking forward to cooking up a storm having being invited back for the second time. He will be teaching people about the history of sausages using a pirate theme.

CBeebies stars Stefan Gates and Katy Ashworth will cook up some fun for junior chefs at the inaugural Bishop Auckland Food Festival Kids' Club.

In addition, there will be a collection of food-crazy musicians and entertainers, including the toe-tapping Courgettes, and The Liver Cottage Kitchen team of Hugh Fearn and Lee Whittingstall.

Park and ride bus services will operate on both days with buses running every 15 to 20 minutes from 9.15am from Bishop Auckland College, in Woodhouse Lane. Buses will run every 20 minutes from 9.30am from Perfect Homes and Gardens, on the A6072.

The last buses for both sites will leave the Market Place at 4.30pm.

There will be a £2 charge for adults, and a 50p charge for children aged from three to 16.