The Pride of Pendle from Moorhouses Brewery -- owned by Atherton businessman Bill Parkinson -- has been voted the best cask ale in the world and a second took a top gold award.

Lifting Gear Hire boss Bill's brewery scooped the 'Champion Cask Conditioned Ale' at the Brewing Industry International Awards at London's Guild Hall, while its 'Premier Bitter' won a gold medal in the lower strength class.

'Pride of Pendle' first brewed only five years ago, had earlier received a gold medal in the medium strength class.

The double coup was achieved in a field of 181 cask-ale entries and the success means that the Burnley brewery is now unique in the brewing industry in achieving worldwide recognition for its entire core product range, with all four Moorhouse's beers now 'crowned' with this top industry seal of approval.

The awards are considered to be the 'Oscars' of the brewing industry because their brewery peers from around the world choose the winners.

Speaking at the awards ceremony at London's Guild Hall, general manager David Grant said: "Today is a terrific day for Moorhouse's and a 'first' in the industry as these awards mean we are now the only brewer in the world, to our knowledge, that has achieved this tremendous recognition for each of its mainstream beers, cask or packaged."

Grant also hailed the skill of the brewers themselves. "It's a great team effort, but special tribute must be paid to the sheer dedication of our head brewer Peter Goldsborough, who is ultimately responsible for the quality of our beers."

Over the past 10 years Moorhouse's famous Black Cat Ale and the celebrated Pendle Witches Brew have both taken medals at the awards. Black Cat was a Double Gold Medal winner in 1998 while Pendle Witches Brew took a Silver Medal in 1996.

Moorhouse's, which was founded in 1865, supplies outlets in the North West and Yorkshire as well as its own pubs around Bolton, Bury and Burnley.