A three day celebration of all things sweet and savoury will take place in Aylsham next month during the town's annual food festival.

The programme of markets, meals, cookery demonstrations, competitions and workshops is being organised by Slow Food Aylsham in association with Norfolk Food and Drink Festival.

The festival will get under way on Friday, October 5, with a country market in Aylsham Town Hall, where there will be locally produced cakes, savouries, vegetables and crafts on sale.

On the Friday evening there will be a four-course gala dinner prepared, cooked and served by more than 80 GCSE and BTEC students, with entertainment from guest speaker and director of Wroxham Barns Ian Russell.

The monthly FARMA-accredited farmers' market will take place on Saturday, October 6, selling only produce that has come from within a 30 mile radius of Aylsham.

During Saturday there will be an exhibition of local producers in the town hall and chefs David Tortice from the Banningham Crown and freelance Derrol Waller will be cooking snacks using ingredients from the market. Burgh-based baker Ollie Sanders will give a demonstration of bread baking in the afternoon and there will be a series of kids cooking workshops at Aylsham High School.

The festival will come to a close on Sunday, October 7, with the popular Big Slow Breakfast, where an expected 120 people will sit down to a 'full English', prepared and served by members of Slow Food and friends. Tickets for the breakfast, costing �6, are available from Salad Days and Barnwells newsagents, both in Aylsham Market Place.

Young budding chefs, aged 11 to 16, are being invited to bake a cake for the festival which must include at least one vegetable. Entries must be delivered to Aylsham Town Hall on October 6 and prizes are on offer for the best creations.

Visit slowfoodaylsham.org.uk for full details and entry forms as well as further information about the festival.