MORE people than ever before enjoyed this year's Otley Beer Festival.

Organisers are celebrating attracting around 1,700 real ale enthusiasts to the two-day fundraiser, which was held in the Civic Centre.

The 2007 festival, featuring more than 50 local real ales, live music and Morris dancing, also raised more than £6,000, to the delight of its committee chairman and treasurer Allan Boddy, pictured above with beer organiser Jeff Utley.

"It was brilliant, better in every way than last year and we had even more people this time through the doors, up from 1,600 - which was a record - to 1,700, said Mr Boddy.

"We're almost becoming a victim of our own success and had queues on the Friday night waiting to get into the civic centre, but it wasn't too much of a problem. Most people were happy enough to nip into a pub for a drink then came back when the queues had shortened!

"And you hear a lot about trouble linked to drinking these days but I'm delighted to say the festival was absolutely trouble free and has been every year.

"The proceeds will be split between the maintenance of All Saints Parish Church and the three local charities we've picked this year, The Otley Blind and Partially Sighted Club, Otley Riding for the Disabled and The Friends of Spring Gardens Unique Collection."