A POPULAR food festival showcasing the best of the British seas is to return for its second year.

Tickets are now on sale for the Maldon Oyster and Seafood Festival which will take place all day on Sunday, September 8, at Promenade Park.

The festival coincides with the start of the eight-month-long native oyster season and is a fun-packed foodie and leisure celebration which champions all things coastal and nautical.

The family-friendly day will include includes an oyster shucking competition, local producers and craft stands, live music and a DJ, all set against the backdrop of the River Blackwater.

Festival founder Eleanor Taylor is a TV producer with 15 years of experience in making food shows such as The Hairy Bikers and Great British Bake Off.

She has also worked with celebrity chefs such as Gordon Ramsay and Nigella Lawson.

Eleanor said: “The Maldon district has a rich maritime and food heritage which is recognised both nationally and across the world.

“It has the backdrop, facilities and ingredients to become a world-famous foodie destination.

“The Maldon Oyster and Seafood Festival aims to make seafood accessible to as many people as possible and promote Maldon and Essex as a foodie visitor destination.

“We are only a small island, but we have fresh and delicious seafood in abundance, and we are certainly not ashamed to shout about it.

“If you love seafood and want to celebrate the UK’s thriving fishing industry, then come and join us.”

Tickets are now on sale, priced £5 for adults, and children under 16 go free. After last year’s sell-out show, organisers are encouraging fans to get their tickets early.

For details, visit eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-maldon-oyster-and-seafood-festival-tickets-56408377977.