BEEKEEPING, sheep-shearing and cheese-making will all be on the menu at an annual festival.

Started in 2002 as a one-off event to help farmers recover from the footand- mouth outbreak, the Dales Festival of Food and Drink received so much support that it was staged again in 2003, and has gone from strength to strength since.

The three-day event will take place in Leyburn, North Yorkshire, this weekend, featuring 80 local food producers, including organic bread, sweets, preserves, ice cream, cheese, pies, beer and game.

In the Farming for Food tent, there will be sheep-shearing, soup-making, dry stone walling and brewing.

Visitors will be able to make bread, and butter to go with it, as well as tasting fresh milk.

There will also be a chance to milk a model cow, and try beers from Daleside Brewery, in Harrogate.

Speakers will give talks at 2pm each day in the Richard Whiteley Pavillion, with angling expert John Aston speaking on Saturday, author Gervase Phinn on Sunday, and Bettys Teashop director Lesley Wild on Monday.

The festival, which will also feature cookery demonstrations and music, aims to highlight the importance of sustainable, local produce.

Margaret Knight, a member of the Leyburn and Mid-Wensleydale Partnership Limited, which organises the event, said: "We want to celebrate quality, local producers.

"The festival also benefits the whole community, as any proceeds are given out as grants to fund projects from art exhibitions to building renovations.

"We are all really looking forward to this year's festival."

The festival will take place from 10am to 5pm, from Saturday to Monday.

The site, on the eastern outskirts of the town, is well signedposted.

Tickets are £6 a day, £9 for a threeday pass, free for accompanied children under 16, and £3 for unaccompanied children.