Food and fun combine as Aylsham gets ready to host its annual celebration of cookery and produce this weekend.

The town, and neighbouring Blickling Hall are being linked by a shuttle bus, so people can get a taste of the action in the twin venues.

In a new venture this year a 40ft long AEG mobile cooking academy will set up in the courtyard at Blickling on Friday and Saturday with demonstrations running from 10.30am and 9.15am respectively.

A free minibus service runs from the Bure Valley Railway station, via Aylsham Market Place, to Blickling Hall.

Also new are junk percussion sessions from Britain's Got Talent semi-finalists Bang On!

The duo will run two Saturday afternoon workshops in Aylsham Market Place followed by a 3.30pm performance involving local people who have taken part in their workshops.

Friday will see the regular Aylsham Country Market in the Town Hall from 8.30am to noon, with a host of delicious tasters as well as their usual mix of homemade cakes and savouries, alongside plants, eggs, fresh cut flowers and craft items.

On Saturday Aylsham's Farmers' Market, from 8am to 4pm, will have some additional stalls for the festival, with music from the One Foot in the Groove jazz band until 11.30am.

There are also Saturday morning children's cooking workshops in the Town Hall, run by members of Slow Food Aylsham.

Saturday night's festival gala dinner at Aylsham High School is a sell out for a record 120 diners, who will sample a five-course meal which is being sourced, prepared and cooked by students.

The Big Slow Breakfast on Sunday is the most established and popular event in the festival's three days, as people relax over a 'full English' cooked by festival volunteers.

The Aylsham Food Festival is part of the wider Norfolk Food and Drink Festival.

For full details of festival events visit the website www.slowfoodaylsham.org.uk.