AS train passengers arrived in Bolton for this year’s Food and Drink Festival, there was a buzz about the place thanks to a first-time event.

Bolton Station Community Development Partnership had organised for more than 20 stallholders to showcase their work, activities and nibbles at Bolton train station.

Visitors could also see the first public model train display put together by the newly established Bolton Model Railway Club.

The club meets at the station’s Community Room and members have been building the layout for the past 10 weeks.

Partnership chairwoman Julie Levy said: “We wanted people who were getting off the trains to see immediately that there was something going on. We hope this will become an annual event to complement the Food and Drink Festival.”

As well as the stalls, well-known singer and songwriter Howard Broadbent and other musicians were entertaining visitors.

The event on Saturday also coincided with the end of a week-long exhibition by Bolton Documentary Photography, showcasing the highlights of Bolton’s flourishing amateur dramatic scene from the past 12 months.

Partnership vice-chair Paul Salveson said: "It has been a great success. We had 23 organisations represented as well as wonderful musicians performing, the model railway display and photography exhibition with some really nice shots of people on stage.

"We think that some 3,000 people passed through the station during the event, with many stopping to engage and see what was going on."