More than £3,000 for local charities at last year's Edgworth Beer Festival.

Organisers served up a wide selection of 55 casks of real ale, cider and perry from all over the UK and, unlike 2006, managed to keep the beer supplies on tap for the whole of the festival.

This year 10 casks were sourced from Cumbrian micros with some beers travelling south for the first time.

Entertainment was provided by the Bourbon Street Roof Raisers and keyboard player, John Robinson. A shuttle bus provided by Bolton Community Transport, supported by GMPTE, transported visitors from Harwood, Bromley Cross and Egerton.

Smokey Joe's Black Beer, from Hopstar Brewery in Darwen, was once again selected as the "Beer of the Festival" and our picture shows Barry Tyson receiving his award from Eddie Williams of the organising committee.

Barry was delighted to have won this prize for two consecutive years commenting that "such an award is extremely important to a small brewery and a genuine recognition of the quality of the Hopstar Brewery product particularly when it has been judged by festival visitors against over fifty other prize-winning beers from across the UK"

The third Edgworth Real Festival will take place on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, September 26-28, at the Barlow Village Institute.

Further details will be posted at www.edgworth-real-ale-festival.co.uk.