AFTER last year's event had to be called off due to the ongoing Covid pandemic, there was a big appetite for the return of the Taste Cheshire Food and Drink Festival this year.

Thousands of visitors gathered at Chester Racecourse over the bank holiday weekend of August 28-30 to see all the culinary delights, with plenty of sights and aromas to whet the appetite.

More than 150 food and drink exhibitors showcased the best that local and national producers have to offer.

Headlining the three-day spectacular were John Torode, of BBC TV's MasterChef, Chris Bavin, of BBC's Eat Well for Less, as well as celebrity chef Paul Rankin, the man behind Northern Ireland's first Michelin star accolade.

See our gallery of photos from the event, taken by photographer Simon Warburton.