BBC Look North presenters Christa Ackroyd and Ian White will go head-to-head to launch a Huddersfield cookery contest.

The presenters will be the first attraction at the four day Huddersfield Food and Drink Festival, starting in St George's Square tomorrow.

The presenters will take part in a Ready, Steady, Cook style competition at the event, organised by Huddersfield Town Centre Association.

They will be cooking from 11.30am and be helped by chefs from the Keys Coffee House and Ristorante Sole Mio.

On Friday, the main event will be a cookery contest between Huddersfield Town players and members of the Huddersfield Giants from 4pm.

The teams will be helped by chefs from The George Hotel and Sodexho Prestige.

Also going head-to-head in an earlier cooking contest, from 12.30pm, will be Pulse radio show presenters Matt and Elisa, helped by staff from Holmfirth-based Cragrats catering.

There will be demonstrations from more Huddersfield chefs during the day and from 7pm until 11pm there will be a real ale and cider tasting evening, with a barbecue.

Saturday will feature demonstrations of how to create tablepieces by Huddersfield Flower Club and from 7pm there will be a wine tasting evening with a finger buffet provided by The George Hotel.

Sunday will include cocktail- making, Mexican salads and Asian cookery displays.

Throughout the weekend in the main demonstration tent, local pubs and restaurants will be showing crowds how to cook Asian food, traditional English dishes, Carib- bean classics and Italian cuisine.

Healthy eating advice will also be on offer.

Outside the main tent, smaller marquees will house stalls for a farmers' market, specialist sausages, local ales, local pickles, pastries, ice creams and much more.

For the children, there will be bouncy castles, roundabouts, face painting and Punch and Judy.

On Friday, there will be a childrens' party in St Peter's Gardens between 11am and 3pm, with entertainment from the Singing Chef. Supermarket Sainsbury's has donated £1 packed lunches to raise cash for the charity Plus Point.

Entry to the event is free and visitors can enjoy tasting some of the food cooked in the demonstrations.

Admission to special tasting evenings on Friday and Saturday is by ticket only. Tickets cost £5, which entitles you to five free tastings.

Local musicians will help the festival go with a swing.

For tickets or further information, ring Huddersfield Town Centre Association on 01484 226856.

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