TWENTY different beers were on offer at an annual ale festival.

The Hartley Wintney Football Club Beer Festival was held over three days, offering a variety of real ales and ciders to be enjoyed while listening to live bands performing on stage.

The event at the football club, in Green Lane, has been running for five years and raises money for the club, with a share of the profits going to the Testicular Cancer Charity.

Villagers flocked to the festival last Saturday to watch the line-up of entertainment on stage, featuring bands from the local area.

Rob Gregson, from Rolling Thunder Entertainment, which organised the music show, said: “The football club asked if I could put the music on. We have 10 acts playing throughout the day all local to Basingstoke.”

The festival was officially opened on Friday by Alan ‘Howling Laud’ Hope – the Monster Raving Loony Party leader. The party’s Co-ALE-ition Hope & Glory ale was one of those on sale, from Ascot Ales.

Visitors could pay £2 for a souvenir glass to enjoy the ales, brewed in 17 different local microbreweries.

Tasting notes were available for people to learn more about the ale they were drinking, with varieties on offer including Apple Blossom from Downton Brewery in Wiltshire, Kismet from Longdog Brewery in Basing-stoke, and Stormchaser, from Flowerpots Brewery in Alresford.

Ciders on offer included Raspberry Twist from Westons Cider, and Black-berry Cider from Mr Whitehead’s.

Tony Reid, who helped to organise the event with Ray Boorman, said: “We like rock music and beer, and the two seem to go together.

“And we like going to the breweries, sampling the ales.”