AN annual festival bringing together local canines, sausages and ciders is hoping to be top dog as it returns for the third year.

The third ‘dog, sausage and cider festival’ will be taking place at the Springhead pub in Sutton Poyntz next weekend.

The event, which is on Sunday, August 28, features a dog show with a variety of categories, a barbecue cooking hot dogs and burgers and cider from a range of local producers.

The popular sausage throwing contest also returns, with competitors hoping to beat last year’s record of 53 metres.

It is all raising money for Margaret Green Animal Rescue.

The festival opens at 11.30am with the dog show at 1.30pm.

Entry is open for the show from 11.30am in to categories including waggiest tail, young handler, fancy dress and young handler.

The event is free to attend and it costs just £1 to enter a dog in a category of the show.

It also features live music throughout the day, a bouncy castle and face painting with organisers hoping it will be the best yet.

Landlady at the Springhead, Jo Parker, is a dog owner herself, and the pub prides itself on being dog friendly.

She took over running the pub in October 2012.

Jo said: “This is our third year and we’re a very dog friendly pub and there’s a lot of nice local cider producers and local butchers so we just put the three together.

“The first year it was really successful and last year it doubled in size so we have no idea what is going to happen this year.

“It’s just a really nice fun day for all the family. Its free entry so it’s just some extra fun for the bank holiday.”

There will be music from the likes of Blazin’ Strings and Jack Daniel.

Around 1,000 people are estimated to have flocked to last year’s show which raised £850 for the charity and it is hoped this year can go even better in terms of crowd numbers and money raised.

The event is being supported by the Southfield Veterinary Centre with Ann Bond Dog Training judging the show.