FANS of bangers and beer are being invited to tuck in – but all for a good cause.

A countryside festival which has already raised funds for life-saving equipment is to return to raise more for charity.

The Sausage and Beer Festival at Camp Hill, near Bedale, started as a small family project in 2014 and attracted 1,000 people.

Yet it raised more than £3,000 to buy two defibrillators for the adventure park, which also features Aerial Extreme, a high ropes course.

Since then the festival has raised funds for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance and Herriot Hospice Homecare, a charity which supports people affected by terminal illness in the Hambleton and Richmond areas.

Last year, the event catered for more than 3,000 people and this year’s festival is expected to be even bigger.

Extra buses will run from Bedale and funds raised will once again go to Herriot Hospice Homecare, which is based in Northallerton.

The three-day programme from July 21 to 23 will feature a tastiest sausage competition, a food hall and local beers, and chef Andy Annat will demonstrate his sizzling barbecue skills.

As well as live music, dodgems and face-painting, the event will feature a dog show, vintage tractors and a silent disco. The Woodland Kingdom play area for children will also be open and camping facilities can be booked.

“There’s nothing pretentious about the festival,” said organiser Jo Ropner, who is also a Deputy Lieutenant of North Yorkshire. “It’s about grabbing a deckchair and a picnic and sitting down with a local beer and a sausage and having some old-fashioned fun.

“My favourite part is seeing families from seven to 70 listening to the music and eating an ice cream together. In this world of social media, it’s important that we get out into the countryside.”

Entry charges for the sausage and beer festival start at £10 for adults and £5 for children. To book, go to www.camphill.co.uk or call 01845 567788.