THOUSANDS basked in the sunshine at the Dorset Seafood Festival in Weymouth.

The event is part of the Spirit of the Sea festival and there were numerous other activities taking place over the weekend including the International Maritime Modelling Festival, the Weymouth Regatta and kayak demonstration days on the beach.

Champagne and oysters were the order of the day along the harbourside with visiting stalls and local businesses doing a roaring trade.

Celebrity chef demonstrations provided cooking hints for food lovers who also took the chance to taste the dishes including crayfish and red mullet.

Among the stalls were the Crab House Café and Perry’s which was doing well with scallops and chorizo on a skewer.

A seaside forager also took to the demo stage to tell people about marine plants like seaweed and samphire.

The stages hosted a filleting demonstration and the Dorset Young Seafood Masterchef finals were held under the watchful eyes of chefs Mat Follas and Mark Hix. Mr Hix encouraged the crowd to try different types of fish at home and said the festival was a chance to show people what else they can cook.

He said: “It’s crucial when you live on the coast.

“Everybody should be a little more into their seafood because a lot of people don’t eat enough of it.

“It’s been a great festival. It’s fantastic.”

John and Catherine Johnson from Dorchester were visiting with their children Ben, eight, and Molly, six.

Mr Johnson said: “It is a really good atmosphere and it is very interesting. The cooking displays were fun and the kids loved the model boats.

“Weymouth is beautiful on a day like this and everyone seems to be having a good time.”