TV CHEFS have been cooked up for guest appearances at the Darwen food festival after star of the show Keith Floyd pulled out.

Paul Rankin will replace Mr Floyd, who cancelled due to ill health, at the Gala dinner at the Whitehall Hotel on September 8.

The Ready Steady Cook regular will be guest of honour and after-dinner speaker at the five- course gourmet menu event.

Lancashire restaurateur Paul Heathcote will play cricket alongside ex- England and Lancashire wicket keeper Warren Hegg at Edgworth Cricket Club on September 10 at 11am.

And TV chef Andrew Nutter, from Rossendale, will be guest at the festival's waiter dash championship - a race to the finish line of 12 fully-loaded waiters taking place in the town centre on September 9.