A spring harvest has been hailed as the biggest success in the Brighton and Hove Food and Drink Festival’s 13-year history.

Two huge free events showcased Sussex and international produce with live food demos, masterclasses and children’s activities.

Each evening featured sell-out dinners and tastings including The Three Chefs at Drakes, A Taste of Western Australia at Hotel du Vin and Gingerbeer at The Ginger Pig.

More than £3,500 was raised for the Rockinghorse children’s charity.

Festival director Nick Mosley said: “We’ve had a tremendous couple of weeks. Tens of thousands of residents and visitors have enjoyed our free weekend events, experiencing great food and drink.”

A debut stallholder was Beach BBQ, which combines tender meat cooked in a waterbath and finished off over hot coals.

Director and chef Kieron James, who appeared on Masterchef last year, said: “We’ve had a fantastic couple of weekends on Hove Lawns and the market.

Brighton is the perfect place to pitch beach BBQ because people really appreciate good food.”

The festival will hold its Autumn Harvest on September 4 to 14 with a number of one-off events over the summer.