PRESERVES that should appeal to waistline watchers will be formally launched by an Elvington couple this weekend.

A new range of "no added sugar" chutneys made by Gill and Neil Maycock, of Bracken Hill Fine Foods, will be on display at this weekend's Spring Feast Food Festival in the Knavesmire Suite at York Racecourse.

Mrs Maycock said: "We have trialled them in local farm shops and other outlets, such as the Balloon Tree Farm Shop and Caf in Great Helmsley, the Earl Grey Tearooms in the Shambles and Fishers Butchers in the Broadway, Fulford, and the response has been fantastic."

The products, formulated by Neil, who has worked in the food industry for 20 years, are caramelised onion chutney, pineapple chutney, tomato herb and garlic chutney and piccalilli, and all will be on sale at the festival at £2 a jar.

"We have had repeat orders on all four products," said Mrs Maycock who has brought out a huge range of preserves since she and Neil started their venture last June.

Bracken Hill Fine Foods will be among more than 40 food and drink producers and exhibitors who will converge on York Racecourse over the weekend.

Local chefs, such as Michael Hjort, of Meltons and Meltons Too, of York, and Stephanie Moon, executive chef of Rudding Park Hotel, Harrogate, will give cookery demonstrations, using local produce at the exhibition on Saturday.

On Sunday, top chef James Martin, the former Malton School pupil, will visit the show to give demonstrations and present prizes in a children's food art competition.

Updated: 09:59 Thursday, March 02, 2006