HUNDREDS of real ale fans have made sure a popular beer festival is the biggest and best yet.

There were 60 different kinds of beer on offer at the sixth Edgworth Beer Festival, which took place at the Barlow Institute this weekend.

And with unseasonably warm weather on Saturday, those spearheading the 70-strong team of volunteers said it will be a hard event to top.

The event’s organisation committee chairman, Alex Docherty, said: “It’s been so busy, we had people queuing to get in at one point. This has definitely been our best festival yet.

“We’ve had such tremendous support from the community, with 70 volunteers pitching in and everyone coming along on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

“We really could not have asked for better weather. It has been fun seeing people with a pint of beer in one hand and a ice cream in the other from Hogan’s, who have been doing a roaring trade.

“The most popular drink has been our festival ale. We sold both barrels of it in the first two days.”

This year’s theme was Marathon, with a pin placed in the Barlow Institute on the map and a radius of 26.2 miles drawn around it.

Organisers then had to source beers from within the boundary for the festival.

The event is expected to raise about £12,000, which will be shared between the Help For Heroes charity and Great Ormond Street Hospital children’s charity.

Fellow organiser, Gerry Moore said: “Seven months of organisation goes into this weekend and the organisers do a great job in making this a reality.

“It’s been wonderful to see so many people having fun and there hasn’t been a hint of trouble. It is great for Edgworth.”

Mr Docherty thanked Hogan’s Ice Cream and RPG Accountants for sponsoring the festival.

Hogan’s even produced a special beer flavoured ice-cream for the weekend.

Entertainment was provided by The Witnesses on Friday and Saturday night.