A food festival coming to Norwich for the first time this year combines top chefs with nineties and noughties popstars.

The Foodies Festival is heading to Earlham Park from Friday, September 9 to Sunday, September 11 for a three-day food and drink extravaganza.

It runs from 12pm to 9pm on Friday, 11pm to 9pm on Saturday and 11pm to 8pm on the Sunday.

The event was launched in Edinburgh 19 years ago and this year is the biggest yet, with 12 locations across the UK.

Sue Hitchen, founder, said: "We launched the Foodies Festival as we wanted to have a family-friendly event to inspire people to try new tastes and flavours.

"I love Norwich and it was recommended to us as a city for foodies."

The festival will have an artisan producers market, shopping village and a street food area with 25 vans and a feasting area.

While the event will feature some national vendors, the focus is on local businesses for each location.

The main feature will be The Chefs Theatre with MasterChef finalist Tony Rodd cooking live.

He will be joined by local legends including Richard Bainbridge (Benedicts), Galton Blackiston (Morston Hall) and Andrew Jones (Farmyard).

There will also be a Cake and Bake Theatre, an interactive Kids Cookery Theatre and the chance to sample wines, champagne and cocktails in The Drinks Theatre.

Music is a big part of the event and local acts will perform all weekend with popstar headliners each day from around 7pm.

The Friday headliners are Liberty X and S Club All Stars, with original members Bradley McIntosh, Tina Barrett and Stacey Franks from S Club Juniors, Saturday is Sophie Ellis-Bextor and on Sunday Scouting for Girls perform.

Mrs Hitchen said: "Come along if you enjoy good food and want to have fun and get hints and tips to improve your cooking.

"Meet chefs, producers and bakers and a percentage of our ticket money goes to Musicians Against Homelessness."

Day adult tickets start at £18 or £38 for the weekend, with concession, child, VIP and family tickets available.

Buy at foodiesfestival.com/events/norwich where local vendors and musicians can also enquire.