REAL ale lovers are set to flock to Clitheroe for a beer bonanza.

The one-day First Clitheroe Beer Festival will be held in St Mary's Hall, Church Brow, and will feature 14 different ales from five northern breweries.

The brainchild of the town's Trinity Partnership, the inaugural event will showcase guest beers from breweries based in East Lancashire and West Yorkshire.

Bowland Breweries, based in Bashall, near Clitheroe, award-winning Burnley-based Moorhouses, Old Bear from Keighley, Little Valley from Hebden Bridge and Copper Dragon from Skipton have all agreed to take part.

Each brewery will provide two or three real ales for the festival, which takes place on Saturday, May 20, from noon to midnight.

The event is the brainchild of Nick Lakin, programmes co-ordinator for Trinity a volunteer-led charity promoting community projects and arts in the Ribble Valley.

He said: "We're proud to say this is the first ever beer festival in Clitheroe.

"It's a bit strange really because Clitheroe is a town of beer drinkers so I'm surprised it hasn't had one before.

"It's a good place for a beer festival because many of the pubs have guest beers and people are looking for extra taste in their beer these days.

"Accrington, Burnley and Colne all have well-known beer festivals so we hope that Clitheroe's event can one day stand alongside them.

"We are a charity so we would like to thank the breweries for taking part."

The festival will also include performances by local bands Celtic Cross and Blo Jangles and a selection of wines and ciders provided by Clitheroe's Booths supermarket.

Entry on the door will cost £2 between noon and 6pm and £3 after 6pm.