PET lovers from Burnham-on-Sea and Highbridge are invited to enjoy the first Sea Dogs Festival.

The event is taking place on Saturday April 30 on the beach alongside the South Esplanade, Burnham on Sea, between 10am and 3pm, and will mark National Pet Month.

The aims are to promote responsible dog owning, raise the profile of Burnham-on-Sea as a place to visit with your dog, plus the health benefits of pet ownership.

National Pet Month (NPM) is about promoting responsible pet ownership across the UK by encouraging people to hold events like the Sea Dogs Festival.

The celebrations run from April 1 to May 2.

Sarah Milner Simonds, organiser of Burnham's event, said: "Burnham-on-Sea is a great place to own a dog and the beach, when used responsibly, is a fantastic place to exercise your pet.

"We are pleased to welcome dog owners and dog lovers to the seaside for our first Sea Dogs Festival.

"There will be a fun dog show, demonstrations and dog accessories and related stalls.

"The day will start at 10am with many breed meet-ups walking into the festival.

There is a high-tide early afternoon and I know the local Spanish Water Dogs will be taking advantage of this for a swim.

"The dog show is all about having fun with your pet.

"We know this is a great place to be a dog owner and we hope to locate many of the favourite walks from owners during the day."

Michael Bellingham, chairman of NPM said: "We’re delighted that the Sea Dogs Festival is holding such a great event to celebrate our relationship with our pets.

"They give so much to us – in return we need to look after them responsibly to keep them healthy and happy.

"We hope everybody involved has a great time in the process."

Visit the festival's facebook page for the latest news at www.facebook.com/Sea-Dogs-Festival

Others looking to get involved with National Pet Month can visit www.nationalpetmonth.org.uk