LUDLOW has passed its first major test of the year with a successful Spring Food Festival.

The event from Friday evening until Sunday has further established itself as a major event in the town’s calendar.

Despite all three seasons in the space of the weekend in terms of the weather people flocked into the town and Ludlow Castle to sample some of the best food and drink.

The festival is the town’s first set piece tourism event of the year.

There was a mix of locals and people from all over the country to give the various talks and demonstrations.

Michelin star chef Alan Murchison made a return to the town.

Artisan chocolatier Daniel Jones provided some of his secrets, as did Karl Martin from Old Downton Lodge, a finalist in the 2015 Game Chef of the Year competition.

Peter Amor, the founder of Wye Valley Brewery, described what makes a good beer and Robert Swift, the well known baker from Ludlow, talked about bread.

On the Sunday John Brereton, the butchery manager at Ludlow Food Centre, talked about meat and there were also contributions from TV chef Marcus Bean, the Italian Food expert Felice Tochini, and Andy Lock, bee-keeper, gardener, and award winning chef at The Riverside Inn at Aymestrey.

Beer played a big part with more than 220 different brews centres around The Festival Pub.

The festival was started with a chance to ‘meet the brewer’ on Friday evening.

People were invited to go around the town and take part in pate and pudding trails.

Tours of Ludlow Brewery were also available.

Ludlow Spring Food Festival began a few years ago as a small event staged in the roads and byways of the town but has expanded to become a major attraction.