Melksham's first food and drink festival has been hailed a great success by organisers and those involved in events throughout the week.

The nine-day festival, which began on May 3, attracted many people into the town to enjoy cookery demonstrations, fresh local produce, a market and a range of activities.

Festival organisers Fab! were behind running things, with Melksham Town Council promoting and sponsoring the culinary extravaganza alongside a whole host of other local businesses and organisations.

Among the highlights were cookery demonstrations from TV chefs Martin Blunos and Peter Vaughan, speciality market stalls in Market Place and a milk churn race.

Mr Blunos, who lives in Bath, was the face of the festival, giving cookery demonstrations throughout the week, and said he would definitely come back to Melksham if there is a similar event next year.

The Michelin-starred chef said: “I liked the fact that in Melksham everything was on the High Street and everyone got involved and stuck in, from the guys fitting the kitchen from Leekes in the Assembly Hall to the air cadets helping out.

“Food is something that appeals to everyone. We all need to eat and we all enjoy it.

“This festival was something that appealed to the young and also to older people, something for all ages.”

Maggie Giddings, assistant town clerk and projects officer at Melksham Town Council, said they had also been thrilled with how things had turned out and plans to hold a second festival next year are to be brought up at a meeting on Monday.

She said: “This event took around 18 months to plan from when we first started talking about it and the proposal to plan for another next year is going to the town council meeting on Monday so we can get something agreed in principle.

“There was an extremely good turnout and we estimate that between the market day on Saturday and the cream teas on the last day about 1,200 people came through.

“There was something for all ages with young people from George Ward School cooking with Martin Blunos and the tea dance last Thursday for older members of the community.”

The tea dance was funded by money from NHS Wiltshire and could become a more regular feature in the town.

Julie Cooper, director of Fab! the festival organisers, said: “We were very happy with the way things went and the way it was supported by local people in Melksham.

“There was a lovely atmosphere on Festival Market day and from the feedback I have had so far, most people agreed.

“I even had one lady who came up to me and say it was one of the nicest events to happen in Melksham for a long time, which I thought was really nice of her. Certainly makes our jobs worthwhile.”