FORMER Tory leader William Hague raised a glass to the success of the second annual Dales Festival of Food and Drink yesterday.
The Richmond MP visited Leyburn, North Yorkshire, to toast the event, which was originally conceived as a response to the foot-and-mouth crisis.
With Paul Theakston, managing director of Masham's Black Sheep Brewery, he enjoyed a sample of the new Emmerdale Fine Dales ale.
The beer was launched at the soap's Woolpack, at Yorkshire TV's studios, a month ago, and is not yet available in pubs. But it will be on sale at the three-day festival this weekend.
Last year's festival was a spectacular success, tempting 15,000 people to try local products.
This year, it is 50 per cent bigger, with a marquee in the Market Place for 70 local food and drink stalls. There will also be cookery demonstrations, a farming display, a real ale and tea shop trails and vintage fairground attractions.
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