Sixteen Herefordshire and Worcestershire food and drink companies will exhibit at a top trade show.

The first Midlands Regional Trade Show will be at Millennium Point, in Birmingham, organised by regional food group Heart of England Fine Foods (HEFF).

It takes place on October 12-13 and has already attracted interest from more than 600 buyers.

HEFF chief executive Karen Davies said: "We've been overwhelmed by the amount of interest in the event and look forward to a productive two days for the county's businesses.

"The speciality food sector is a growing business in the Midlands. We have a great tradition of producing top-quality food and drink, plus a fantastic range of contemporary and ethnic food specialities."

Local exhibitors including Anstey's Cheese of Broomhall and Worcester and Malvern Cheesewrights of Whittington, who both won awards at this year's British Cheese Festival held at Blenheim Palace on September 27-28.

Other local exhibitors include Newberry Farm Foods and Flights Orchard Organics of Ledbury, Knight's Cider of Storridge, Essential Dressings of Malvern and the Handmade Scotch Egg Company of Cradley.

Mrs Davies said: "The show is a great shop window for unique, tasty, award-winning products from across the Midlands."

The show comes in the wake of this weekend's Eastnor Castle Food and Drink Festival, where local producers will get another chance to exhibit their produce to an ever-increasing number of visitors from all over the country.

The event is on Saturday and Sunday, from 10am to 5pm. Admission is £6 adults and £3 children.

n A mini Farmers' Market was set up at the Midlands regional office of Defra in Worcester on Tuesday. The event was part of a regional food day and farms having received DEFRA grants over the last three years laid on stalls, including Clive's Fruit Farm in Upton-upon-Severn.