THERE should be bellyfuls of food and laughter in almost equal measure as the annual Abergavenny Food Festival opens this weekend.

The festival, which runs from this Thursday until Sunday, September 23, has a top line-up of local and national figures from the gastronomic world, and features chef masterclasses, demonstrations, and plenty of chances to sample the best of the local cuisine.

Among the weekend's highlights is sure to be the Friday-night banquet cooked by world-famous Franco Turischia, recently retired owner/chef from the Walnut Tree.

Mr Turischia has been coaxed out of retirement to prepare an exclusive local meal on Friday evening, assisted by cordon bleu-trained Penny Johnstone. Tickets for the black tie night are £45.

Also getting ready to tickle the tastebuds is Welsh comedian, Milton Jones, (pictured) best known for his award-winning Radio 4 series, The Very World of Milton Jones.

Milton's act offers a unique take on his life in South Wales, and his radio show had a top-class supporting cast featuring such stars as the impressionist Alistair McGowan.

Milton's bizarre appearance, with wild hair, manic stare, and over-the- top dress sense are a real crowd-pleaser, something the comic claims helps put both the audience and himself at ease.

"Comedy club audiences can be hostile," he told Mono, "but if you look a bit weird, they think, 'He's a nutter' and then they relax."

Typical Milton lines include the quip about his schooldays.

"Miss! Miss! Miss!" "What is it, Milton?"

"Nothing, miss, I'm just playing battleships."

A television pilot show has been recorded recently, and a series is due to go out on BBC2 later this year.

Milton added: "I play the idiot savant, the victim who ends up winning. But you are not sure if he comes out on top by fluke or by design."

Milton is appearing at the Borough Theatre on Saturday, entry £7.50 (concessions £5). The festival opens on Thursday night at the Borough Theatre, with entertainment from Ceilidh specialists 'Rig-a-Jig'.

For more information on the weekend's events, visit the festival website on www.abergavennyfoodfestival.com/prog.html