ORGANISERS of the Children’s Food Festival are hoping to make it an annual event.

Glorious sunshine and a variety of gastronomic treats attracted more than 14,000 people of all ages to the weekend festival, held at Hill Farm, Little Wittenham, near Didcot, and organised by the Northmoor Trust.

Festival director Eka Morgan said the most popular attraction was the Chocolate Tent, where chocolatiers showed off their artistry.

Other highlights included sushi rolling, open fire cookery and pizza and pasta demonstrations.

More than 20 top chefs and cookery writers — including festival patrons Raymond Blanc and Sophie Grigson — gave demonstrations and signed books, while actress Greta Scacchi chaired a debate on whether celebrities should promote junk food.

Mrs Morgan said: “We have been overwhelmed with highly positive feedback.

“Our hope was that whichever way you looked there would be something compelling to do — and that really was how it turned out.

“People are clamouring for it to become an annual event, but it depends on sponsorship.”

Mother Zita Hajdu, 33, from Oxford, said: “The festival was fabulous.

“We all had such fun and my boys took away loads of goodies for their vegetable patch. It was chocolate heaven as well. I’m making one of the recipes now — I’m so inspired.”

However, some parents contacted the Oxford Mail to say they had not been able to book their children into cookery sessions and water bottles on sale were too expensive, and warm.

Frances Clifton, of Abingdon Road, Oxford, said her daughter had not managed to sign up to the best activities and the food on sale was below par.

She added: “They really needed to sort out the shuttle bus service too.

“They sent a 15-seater to pick up the 50 people who were waiting at Didcot Parkway. There were lots of very annoyed people and a very stressed bus driver.”