Thousands of people, including many visitors from Yorkshire, are expected in Bath this week for the annual Bath Cricket Festival which got under way today and reaches its climax on Sunday.

A full programme of social and corporate events has been organised to run alongside the main festival being staged on the Bath Recreation Ground.

These include a pub quiz at The Ram in Widcombe, an evening cruise along the Kennet & Avon Canal, a festival dinner, a cheese and wine party and a Bath Chamber of Commerce 'mixer' networking meeting being hosted in a marquee on the Bath Rec by the festival's main sponsor, Withy King Solicitors.

Robert Appleyard, chairman of the Bath and Wiltshire Area Committee of the Somerset County Cricket Club, said: "We are particularly delighted by this year's festival as it is 27 years since the city acted as host to a visiting Yorkshire county cricket team.

"We are also pleased to welcome those Yorkshire supporters who have had to travel from the other end of the country to be here, and we hope they have a memorable few days enjoying the cricket and the sights and atmosphere of Bath."

The festival also marks the launch of Bath author Gavin Turner's new book, A Century of Bath, which tells the story of 100 years of Somerset County Cricket at the Recreation Ground. Copies will be sold at the ground and there will be an opportunity to meet the author and have copies autographed.

The festival has done well, selling itself as a corporate hospitality venue to regional and national firms. According to Robert Appleyard, all the marquees for Wednesday, Thursday and Friday have been booked.

The festival also achieved another milestone this year by securing a five-figure sponsorship for the first time from Bath and Trowbridge-based Withy King Solicitors.

Robert Appleyard said: "This could be the biggest festival for many years, both in terms of what's happening on the field and the spin-off that could come from the many Yorkshire supporters we¹re expecting."

Admission to the festival costs £10 a day for adults, and £6 for senior citizens and juniors. From Wednesday to Saturday play begins at 11am, and Sunday's one-day clash gets under way at 1pm.

© Somerset CCC