THOUSANDS of 'chilli heads' made their way to Cark-in-Cartmel for a weekend that celebrated all things spice.

This year's fourth annual Holker Chilli Festival, held in the courtyard of Holker Hall, proved that when it comes to chilli there is something for everyone.

Alongside the numerous produce stands, there was live music, cookery demonstrations and Taste of Cairo belly dancers to entertain the 2,500 people who came through the gates over the two day event.

One trader offering up some unusual flavour combinations was Dalton's Joanne Swanston, from the newly established The Chunky Monkey Cake Company. She had been experimenting with some new sweet bakes for the festival.

"Up until last week I'd never really baked with chilli," she said. "I've put chilli in a dark chocolate rocky road, gingerbread which is going down a storm, vegan brownies and fudge cake and I've infused it with peanut butter to make cookies."

She said that the gingerbread had gone down particularly well and she would be keeping that on as a winter recipe.

From Daddy Cool's Chilli Sauce was Steve Cooley, who although his hottest offering was ominously named the XXX Badboy, he was keen to highlight that his condiments were flavoursome as well as spicy.

"It's a very fruity and nice hot sauce," he said. "You'd use it as a condiment or added to your chilli con carne or your shepherd's pie."

He said that he thought events like Holker's Chilli Festival were so popular because of the 'buzz' people got from chillies.

"The excitement, the adrenaline run, the excitement," he said, adding that it was not just a man's world but there were plenty of female chilli heads too.

Jillian Rouse, head of Visitor Services for Holker Hall and Gardens said it was a 'great weekend' with a 'fantastic atmosphere'.

"The chilli eating competition with Darth Naga and food demos by the lovely Gary McClure were very well attended and the entertainment from Ulpha590, Freda the Dinner Lady and fire-eating and stilt walking from Andy Jester proved very popular," she said. "We already have some new ideas in the pipe line for next year, our fifth Chilli Fest."

For those wanting to test their limits outside of the chilli eating competition, Cark-in-Cartmel's Chilli Pepper Company was on hand with samples of the Carolina Reaper - the Guinness World Records confirmed hottest pepper.

Owner of the business, Gerald Fowler, said that although those taking part in the chilli eating competition were 'putting their tastebuds against some of the hottest in the world', that even the reaper had complexity of flavour.

"It's absolutely beautiful," he said. "There are hints of chocolate, hints of raspberry - that's if you can get over the heat.

"I think every year there's more and more people trying chilli, being brave and finding out they actually like it."