THE 10th annual Ludlow Marches Food and Drink Festival will strengthen the town's growing links with Narberth in Pembrokeshire.

Talks continue about the two becoming the first towns in the United Kingdom to twin - Narberth foodies plan to hire a coach to drive to Ludlow's Food Festival, which begins on September 10.

Ludlow town councillor Graeme Perks plans to return the compliment when Narberth holds its own festival a fortnight later.

"We are trying to find out how many might be interested in going to Narberth on September 25," said Councillor Perks.

"I suspect that if people made their own food arrangements we could get the cost to about £10."

Meanwhile, Ludlow bakers Prices are stocking Welsh cakes so people can have an advance taste of what is in store.

This year in Ludlow, more than 40 town centre shops are dressing their windows as their contribution to the festival.

Entries will be judged on September 10, between 10am and noon, by the Mayoress of Ludlow, Sally Newman, and Peter Philips, BAFTA award-winning designer for Brideshead Revisited.

Over a decade, the festival's purpose has remained to promote local, independent producers and suppliers of food and drink and to highlight the quality of produce from the Marches.

But there will be innovations. In keeping with Ludlow's new Cittaslow status, there will be a Slow Food Marquee in the castle.

There will also be a Marches Tourism Marquee, making a special feature of Narberth.

Other events during the three-day festival include: a real ale trail, a book fair, a waiters' race and a pudding tasting.

The programme also includes a Q&A session with three of Ludlow's leading chefs, demonstrations of bacon curing and cooking organic vegetables as well as Cheshire cheese with a difference from Hawkstone.