City hosting Festival of Rhubarb

The Festival of Rhubarb attracts international attention

Some 1,000 visitors are expected to converge on a West Yorkshire city for the annual Festival of Rhubarb.

The ten-day event begins in Wakefield on Thursday - with highlights including wine making, a rhubarb ramble and tours of rhubarb sheds.

A Wakefield Council spokesman said tickets proved to be a popular Christmas present - and that many of the tours on offer are already full.

Visitors can still attend the Rhubarb Farmers' market on Saturday.

Film crews from Sweden and Germany will be covering the event.

Rhubarb was first imported to the UK several decades ago but Wakefield has become famous for the product.

At one time, more than 90% of the world's forced rhubarb crop was grown in the Wakefield area - it is thought soil treated with by-products of the once flourishing textile industry is a reason why it grows so well.

Tourism manager Philippa Ventom said: "As well as encouraging tourism the interest in rhubarb has helped the local economy to preserve and create jobs in farming.

"There is an enormous amount of interest in using rhubarb for cooking savoury dishes by top chefs."