A REGIONAL food week held earlier this month in Herefordshire's Eastnor Castle will become an annual fixture after being hailed by business leaders as an outstanding success.

The first Regional Food Week, organised by Heart of England fine foods, with support from Advantage West Midlands provoked great interest from the business community.

During the week from Saturday, October 5, to Sunday, October 11, more than 5,000 people visited Eastnor Castle, near Ledbury, to enjoy the sights, smells and tastes, and watch the culinary skills of tv chefs Leslie Walters and Brian Turner.

Heart of England fine foods chief executive Karen Davies said the region could look forward to an exciting future, after many suppliers won contracts as a result of the exhibition.

"The West Midlands is thriving with a unique range of top-quality food and drink, many of which have not achieved their full potential," she said.

She added that the organisation would press for recognition of producers in the region.