THE 11th Bolton Food and Drink Festival is set to break all records — with a day of fun still to go.

Council chiefs believe the festival is the busiest and best ever after seeing thousands of people descend on the town centre over the weekend.

More than 180 food and drink stalls were pitched in the area around Victoria Square and there were demos from top TV chefs including John Torode, Michael Caines and festival first-timer, Bake Off queen Nadiya Hussain, who delighted the crowds yesterday with her family-themed sessions.

There were also star turns for fellow newbies Oz Clarke and Kate Goodman, who brought their extensive knowledge of wine to the Market Place Vaults for a series of tasting masterclasses.

Today, festival favourite and former Saturday Kitchen host James Martin will be rounding off the event in style.

His ninth appearance in Bolton will include special demonstrations in the main marquee in Victoria Square at 11am, 1pm and 3pm.

All weekend the town centre has been packed with excited crowds and while the official visitor statistics are not yet in, town hall bosses are comfortably labelling this the most successful festival yet.

Council chief executive Margaret Asquith said: “This is the best ever, the biggest ever, the most fantastic Bolton Food and Drink Festival we have ever done.

“Traders are having a really successful time, and everyone is loving it.

“Our celebrity chefs have been fantastic and Nadiya was fabulous, especially with the children.

“If you haven’t got down here yet, there’s a day left so come along.”

The authority’s Director of Place, Stephen Young has been trying to keep tabs on the number of people coming into the town centre across the weekend and thinks it is beyond anything seen at previous events.

He said: “It has been the busiest and best festival yet. Visitor numbers seem to be breaking all records.

“We know that car parks have been at full capacity over the weekend and the feedback from traders and visitors – both in person and on social media – has been amazing.

“It’s always a challenge to try and top the festivals we have done in the past but I think we have managed to do that once again this year.”

In a bid to keep improving the event, there new family-focused areas added this year including a weird science zone in Le Mans Crescent and the Octagon’s beach attraction within the theatre.

The Octagon venue — which also involved donkey rides for youngsters — was a smash hit with families, with its creator, artistic director Elizabeth Newman declaring that more than 2,200 people had visited by Saturday alone.

Bolton Council leader Cliff Morris declared the festival a roaring success, adding: “It has been another wonderful weekend for Bolton. The Food and Drink Festival is a great event showcasing the best of Bolton to huge crowds.

“All the chefs have been popular. It was particularly good to see so many families at Nadiya’s brunch and all the many young children who came were captivated.

“Who knows, one of those youngsters could be a future Bake Off winner inspired by our festival!

“The wine tasting sessions were new this year and Oz and Kate managed to entertain and inform the crowds brilliantly, and John Torode and Michael Caines were as popular as ever.

“There’s a world of food and fun out there to explore and there’s still one day left.”