DAY one of Bishop Auckland Food Festival has gone down a treat with crowds of people who enjoyed the event.

Over the weekend more than 150 food and drink stalls, master classes and celebrity events will pull thousands of visitors into the town.

Walking around the market place and grounds of Auckland Castle is an assault on the senses as traders serve up all manner of dishes including sizzling burgers and sausages, colourful chutneys, pretty cupcakes and pungent curries.

Today’s (Saturday, April 18) attractions included live cookery demonstrations by Sunday Brunch host Simon Rimmer and contestants from The Great British Bake Off tested their skills- and the audience’s knowledge- in A Battle of the Bakers.

A big hit,  back tomorrow (Sunday, April 19), was a pop-up Indian restaurant in the castle grounds where TV chef and food writer Ivor Peters, known as the Urban Rajah, heads a catering team from Bishop Auckland College.

He said: “It is going amazing, I think by the weekend is out we’ll have done a thousand covers and people seem to be loving it.

“This is a great event, fingers crossed I’ll be back.”

A park and ride service will operate from Bishop Auckland College, on Woodhouse Lane, and Coundon Industrial Estate, on the A689, between 9.45am and 4.30pm on Sunday.

For more details visit bishopaucklandfoodfestival.co.uk