FOOD lovers were in their element at the mouth-watering Droitwich Spa Food and Drink Festival held on Saturday.

Thousands enjoyed the event, in its fifth year, which took place at Lido Park having moved from its traditional place in the Spa's high street due to the ongoing repairs - a move festival organiser Patrick Davis said had worked "really, really well".

Popular celebrity chef Brian Turner opened the event with the help of Nigel Huddleston MP, and numbers grew throughout the day, everyone having fun in the brilliant sunshine.

There were more than 100 food and drink stalls offering a wide variety of products, with 90 per cent of products produced within a 30 mile radius of Droitwich.

There was entertainment on the park's bandstand, from singers, bands and choirs, and there was also a children's area with face painting, bouncy castles and a smoothie bike.

The event was organised by a committee of volunteers with support from Wychavon District Council and Droitwich Town Council and local businesses.

Mr Davis said: "There has been five to eight thousands people here.

"The weather has helped - I prefer too hot than pouring with rain.

"The cooking demonstration theatre has been full all day, quite a few of the stands are sold out, and there has been a queue for the lido all day.

"This year we have made Droitwich Brine Salt, which we are going to launch in a few weeks time. The interest has been fantastic.

"The reason we did the festival in the first place was to try and help Droitwich. We are surrounded by beautiful countryside and that mean's there are some excellent producers.."

Chris Griffin, who set up his stand Varsity Coffee said: "This is my third year, and we have a good response all day.

"It is also an opportunity to educated about all the products available."

Anne Walshe, a volunteer on the Blue Cross charity's stand added: "We are lucky there are events like this throughout the county."