A CASK ale house has been awarded Pub of the Year in Lancashire.

The Malt 'n' Hops in Chorley has been named best pub in the Lancashire Branches Campaign for Real Ale (Camra) competition 2017.

Landlord, John Grainger, 60, bought the Malt 'n' Hops in 2015 and spent six months restoring it before opening it as a traditional ale house.

Since then the pub has gone from strength to strength, first winning the central Lancashire pub of the year award before winning the Lancashire Branches award.

Mr Grainger said of the wins: "It was a shock, I'm just pinching myself all the time.

"You wouldn't believe the amount of people stopping me in the street and congratulating me."

The pub currently sells nine cask ales sourced from local breweries and a selection of bottled beer from Germany, Belgium and Holland, but Mr Grainger said he was constantly on the lookout for new additions.

"I'm always out and about seeing what people are selling and trying new beers.

"It really is the only way to make sure it's any good."

The competition is run by the Camra, who's core aim is to promote real ale and pubs.

It holds the competition to showcase the diversity and innovation of Britain's local pubs and to drive footfall into pubs.

The Malt 'n' Hops will go forward into the national competition, where Mr Granger hope it will be named best pub in the country.

When asked why his pub was so successful Mr Granger said: "Well, it's the best beer in Lancashire!

"It's a very friendly pub, for all ages, they are all good people and we never have any bother."