The week long festival celebrates Rye's local catch with a number of events, including tastings and cookery demonstrations.

Many of the town's top restaurants will be creating inspiring and imaginative dishes featuring scallops and local wine producers will be offering the perfect accompaniment.

The main event this weekend takes place at Market Fisheries, on Simmons Quay, where local fishermen will demonstrate on how to prepare scallops, which will then be cooked on the quayside for visitors to sample.

There will also be a chance to look around the fish market and purchase fish fresh from the boats.

Among dishes being served up by local restaurants this weekend, and during the coming week, are scallop, orange and caperberry salad; scallops wrapped in bacon and served with a sherry and shallot sauce and ginger and garlic scallops.

Interest from local restaurants wanting to take part has grown.

For event details, scallop sources and a selection of the special scallop menus from the participating restaurants in the Rye Bay Scallop Festival see www.ryebayscallops.co.uk or for more information call Lorna Hall on 01797 229808.