A FLEDGLING food festival is set to be staged in Burnley tomorrow and Saturday – featuring a top BBC chef – as town centre leaders look to benefit from our revived culinary appetites.

Clitheroe, Accrington and Chorley have each established cookery cavalcades in recent years and Burnley is set to become the latest East Lancashire town to serve up its own.

Promoters behind the Chorley festival are lending their expertise to the Burnley gathering, which will welcome leading fusion expert Aazam Ahmad.

St James Street is set to offer a smorgasbord of food-related fun, ranging from a schools ‘cook off’ competition to kitchen demonstrations on the bandstand.

Coun Shah Hussain, the borough council executive member responsible for town centre management, said: “This food festival promises a mouth-watering range of attractions to suit all tastes.

“I’d encourage everyone to come along and enjoy finding out more about food.” Some of the exhibitors lined up include Be Happy Bakery, Coppice’s Cupcakes, Ostrich Direct Catering and the Crepe Escape.

Plans are in place for the main stage to host the final of the schools competition.

The collective forms part of a regular touring group for food festivals.

But organisers also want to hear from any local producers who can offer specialist culinary delights.

Exhibition spaces are said to be limited but any Burnley businesses wishing to take part are being asked to contact the festival organisers on 01282 899877 or visit the web site www.burnleyfoodfestival.co.uk