CELEBRITY chefs, world cuisine and live entertainment will attract thousands of food lovers to a town’s second annual food festival.

After more than 25,000 people attended last year’s inaugural festival in Darlington, the town is again celebrating British Food Fortnight.

The three-day extravaganza starts today and continues in the town market square throughout the weekend.

Among the star attractions will be celebrity chefs David Hall and Paul Rankin, who, along with counterparts from across the region, will demonstrate their skills in the festival marquee.

Mr Hall will be demonstrating tomorrow.

He is a finalist from BBC’s Masterchef Goes Large. He will be assisted by TFM radio presenter Wayne Allen, who won Channel 4’s Come Dine With Me.

Mr Allen, who earlier this week cooked for children at Reid Street Primary School, said: “As someone who really believes in using the best locally-sourced ingredients when cooking, the food festival is a great way of discovering the range of products that are available here in the region.

“I’m looking forward to getting around all the stalls and meeting the producers and hopefully picking up some culinary delights.”

Mr Rankin, who regularly appears on BBC’s Ready Steady Cook and Saturday Kitchen, will show off culinary and presentation skills on Sunday.

There will be an opportunity to taste food from across the world, with nearly 100 local and regional food and drink producers displaying their products.

There will be demonstrations of Italian food and wines, Caribbean produce, and displays from awardwinning Burtree House Farm, based in Darlington, and Port of Lancaster Smoke House.

Other live entertainment will include food-themed street theatre, face painting, bands and Chinese Lion dancers.

The event runs in Darlington market square today, tomorrow and Sunday, from 10am to 5pm.

Admission to the event is £3 for adults for the full three-day event.

Children under 16, who are accompanied by an adult, go free.

Call 01325-388151 or go to darlington.gov.uk/events.