Petts Wood has gone all continental, as a market has sprung up in the town.

Queensway is a bustling hub of culture today (April 11), with shoppers perusing French delights such as traditional cheeses, crepes, and provincial stews.

And many are also indulging in Italian treats such as almond biscotti, pistachio biscuits, and chocolate truffles.

The market, running over two days, has attracted keen interest from residents – who have been enticed by smells of hog roasts and the sight of Breton cakes.

Chris and Sally Doyle, 35 and 33, live in Petts Wood and were enjoying some of the Sicilian olives with their two children Sam and Tess.

Mr Doyle said: “We saw a sign and thought it would be lovely to come down.

“It was mainly the food that got our interest – we’ve got olives, meats, and we tried the hog roast. It was delicious.

“It would be good to see this again.”

Sellers on the stalls said it is the first time they have come to the sleepy suburb, though regularly make the trip over from Europe to visit English towns.

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Twenty four-year-old Meghdad Pajou, originally from Iran, runs Pesis. Handing out samples of dried fruits, nuts, and sweet nougat, he said: “It’s the first time we’ve been here – it’s going well, the weather is very nice.

“We come to markets at the weekend. We might come here again if it goes well.”

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Pierre-Marie Muillot, 26, travelled over from Normandy with his father, and was busy carving sliced ham for a customer.

He said: “It’s a nice town here – I hope it’s a good day. We are here for the first time”

While close by Lulu Hautboys was on hand to talk about her "fine fromage", French for cheese, with popular favourites such as Brie and Camembert alongside some lesser-known produce.

She told News Shopper: “For now it’s just getting going – I’m looking forward to the weekend. It’s sunny, which is very good.”

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