DARWEN's beer festival and ale trail has brought cask ale back into business.

The four-day beer festival at the Black Horse in Redearth Road, Darwen, and the16-pub Witch Ale Trail have been labelled a huge triumph.

It was the first time cask ale was sold at four Darwen outlets and the Bay Hotel in the town has installed two hand pumps for cask beer as a result of demand seen at the festival.

Barry Tyson, the event organiser, said: "The festival was really successful and as such was a great promotion for real ale.

"All the beers were good and a good few people made it round all the pubs.

"It's a great excuse to make a break from your usual pint and it's great to see so many pubs taking the effects of the cask ale promotion one step further by having cask ales installed permanently."

Collections were taken at the pubs and Jubilee magazines were also sold to drum up money in aid of the Macmillan Cancer Relief volunteers.