DANIEL Thwaites Brewery has today secured a deal to buy a brand of beer from Scottish and Newcastle.

The Blackburn-based brewery has purchased the entire rights for the production, marketing and sales of the LCL Pils beer brand.

Brian Jenkins, sales and marketing director for Thwaites, said: "This is a significant brand acquisition for Thwaites.

"The north-east is a strategic market for us to develop and as the leading regional brewer in the north of England, the inclusion of LCL Pils will undoubtedly open new doors and give us a distribution platform on which we can build for the future."

Thwaites will take responsibility for the sales and marketing of the LCL Pils brand from December 21.

Brewing will transfer across to Thwaites' Star Brewery in Blackburn by early 2008.

Under the sale arrangements, S&N will continue to supply LCL Pils to its existing on-trade regional customers, with Thwaites taking over national accounts, all take-home accounts, and any new business.