MILITARY-STYLE activities such as climbing and paint-balling are among the attractions at a festival today.

An Army chef who served in Iraq will be also serving up culinary treats at the Wear Valley Food Festival.

Sergeant Viv Gritton will demonstrate how the Army uses limited resources to create food for troops out in the field or in static kitchens.

Pastry chef and mother-of-two Sgt Gritton, who now works in recruitment at an Army careers information office, has set-up kitchens around the world.

The festival, at Auckland Castle, Bishop Auckland, features more than 90 food stalls and attractions from all over the North-East.

Representatives from the ongoing Bishop Auckland arts festival, Art Land, will also be there.

The festival, sponsored by Northern Rail and the Co-operative, runs from 10am to 4pm today.

Extra trains will run between Darlington and Bishop Auckland, and shuttle buses will take passengers to and from the station and the event.

*Pictured, from left, Sergeant Rob William, Mike Richardson, of Durham County Council, Gill Shea, Sue Snowdon, Pauline Parkins, of Durham and Tees Valley Military Vehicle Trust, and in the Second World War US Jeep, Beryl Anderson and Gill Ashman