ORGANISERS kept it local as they celebrated another successful Wykefest.

Thousands turned out for the food and beer festival held on a field behind Value House Stores at Wyke Regis in Weymouth.

It was the second Wykefest and organisers reckon more than 5,000 people poured through the gates over the weekend.

The combination of family fun, music and locally-produced food, beers and ciders is turning the charity-supporting event into a regular summer fixture.

Value House Stores team up with Dorset children’s hospice Julia’s House for Wykefest.

Community fundraising manager for Julia’s House Lin Hudswell said the event could top the £3,500 raised at last year’s first Wykefest.

Celebrity chef Lesley Waters joined mayor of Weymouth and Portland Paul Kimber to launch the food element of the festival before taking part in a cookery demonstration.

Other demos were performed by representatives from the Crab House Café, the Phoenix Bakery and the Heights Hotel, Portland.

There were over 20 food stalls with a range of produce on offer including Dorset honey, ice-cream, coffee, cheese and fish. Preston WI ran a cake stall and there were other treats on offer such as hog-roast and curly chips.

Over in the beer tent, run by members of West Dorset CAMRA, there were more than 45 ales and ciders to choose from – all had been sourced within a range of 50 miles. So popular was one brand of pear cider that it had sold out by the end of Friday.

Music was provided by Celtic Confusion, the Dissipated Washboard Band and the Mill Street Jazz Band.

Crowds also enjoyed looking at a line-up of classic American cars and were thrilled by the arrival of 60 Harley Davidson motorbikes.

Value House general manager Lee Mitchell said: “We started Wykefest because one of our other businesses in Devon launched a similar event which turned into a very popular fundraising festival.

“Wykefest is proving to be equally successful and next year we hope it will be bigger again. The Devon festival is a three-day event and we might look at doing that here.”

Among visitors were Julie Jackson, 55, from Wyke with her daughter Ruth, 32, from Southampton.

Julie said: “I think it’s a great event and it’s good that it’s for charity too.

“I bought some nice cakes from the WI stand so I’m going home happy.”

Cyril Rice, 58, visiting from Bristol, said: “There was some lovely beer available. It’s good they include tasting notes with the programme so you can read up on what’s available.”