THERE was a rather special brew at the Fylde Mayor's Charity Ball last week and it was given the all clear by Mayor Paul Hayhurst.

In fact Coun Hayhurst waxed lyrical about Mayoral Choice, a special bitter brewed by John Smith at his Hart Brewery in Great Eccleston.

But that wasn't the case nine years ago when Mr Hayhurst, then a customs and excise officer, nabbed the same John Smith for illegally producing and selling champagne and beer.

Mr Smith -- no relation to the big brewers -- was taken to court and fined £3,500.

That might have been the end of the matter but, in fact, the two men became friends and Paul Hayhurst has even helped John Smith to get his brewing business off the ground.

John said: "I've been brewing champagne and beer legally now for six years. But back in 1992 I didn't have a licence and Paul nabbed me when he was with Customs and Excise.

"Two undercover police came to me and asked to buy a nine gallon barrel of beer for a party to catch me out. I asked them if they also wanted some wine as I has 3,000 bottles of champagne as well.

"I'd have got away with the champagne if I hadn't said anything. Instead I was charged with brewing liquor without a licence.

"I was fined £3,500 but Paul has more than paid me back for that since by persuading his local pub the Cartford Hotel to sell my beer and promoting it everywhere.

"Now my brewery is based behind the pub and we're going great guns. I'd always pushed Paul to have a beer of his own so when he became Fylde mayor we made up a recipe and called it Mayoral Choice and Paul even gave us a coat of arms!"

John delivered two nine gallon barrels (that's 144 pints!) of Mayoral Choice to the Mayor's Charity Ball last week at The Fernlea Hotel.

"We were thrilled to provide it. And we haven't had any back from the Fernlea so people must have liked it. I just wish we could get a venue in the South Fylde that would sell our beers all the time but they all seem to be tied up to the big breweries. But it is available at The Wheatsheaf and The Shovels in Blackpool and the Cartford Hotel in Great Eccleston."

Paul Hayhurst said: "It's wonderful to support local produce and we should all be doing it."

SPECIAL BREW: John Smith and his Mayoral Choice ale