ANOTHER St George's Day has slipped by without so much as a ripple of national celebration. But don't worry folks, there are still plenty of reasons to be proud of where you live. But only if you know where to look.

Take a trip into our beautiful countryside over the next few weeks and you'll be able enjoy Morris dancing, cricket matches... and maybe a spot of Dorset Knob Throwing.

For the uninitiated, the Knob is a spherical biscuit produced by Moores, the Dorset bakers since 1860. Admittedly, the biscuit's name may be seen as a little unfortunate these days, but once you get past that, it's a local speciality steeped in tradition.

David Winship, managing director of Moores Biscuits, sheds some light on the peculiar sounding snack: "Dorset Knob Biscuits were originally made from dough left over from a morning's bread production.

"The fact that they would stay fresh for weeks made them a store cupboard staple for farming folk who would pour hot tea and sugar on them and eat them for breakfast.

"At other times of the day they were split open and eaten with a little salted butter or mature cheese, which is how most people enjoy them today."

To celebrate this most quintessential of English dishes, local man Nigel Collins has organised the first ever Dorset Knob Throwing and Frome Valley Food Festival in the village of Cattistock near Dorchester.

Nigel said: "It's a new event, and unique. It's actually down to the actor Robbie Coltrane and his TV series B-Road Britain and the quirkiness of the towns and villages he visited. Having watched it, I suddenly hit on the idea of Dorset Knob throwing."

The event, on May 4, will see different categories of Knob Throwing and additional fun attractions including Knob Painting, a Knob and Spoon Race, Knob Darts, a Knob Pyramid and guess the weight of the Big Knob.

Running alongside the Knob Throwing will be a new food festival in the heart of West Dorset.

The Frome Valley Food Festival will feature over 30 producers from the Dorset and Somerset area. Curious visitors will be able to sample, taste and purchase a range of foods including breads, cheeses, ciders, game and poultry, pies, preserves and wine supplied by local businesses.

Cattistock lies midway between Dorcester and Yeovil with the event being held in the centre of this picturesque village. With a very active community, Nigel hopes he can raise much needed funds for local organisations: "We'd been trying for ages to think of something different. As a small village, we're desperate for funds and as Moores actually had a bakery in the village until the Second World War, there's a connection there."

David Winship said: "Baking is now done in a larger bakery in Bridport. The firm is still owned by the Moores family and makes a range of sweet biscuits and cakes as well as the Dorset Knob."