ALE and cider enthusiasts enjoyed themselves so much they drank a beer and cider festival dry.

The first CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale) Beer and Cider festival to be held in Herefordshire has been hailed a complete success, when 1,500 people drank more than 6,000 pints at Hereford Rowing Club between Friday and Sunday.

Demand outstripped supply on three occasions and more barrels had to be rolled in.

Entertainment came from the bands the Whiskey Bandits and the Linerunners. The Malvern Hills Brewery won a runners-up medal in the Champion Beer of the Festival competition for their new offering, which is called Priessnitz Plzen.

Event Co-ordinator, Mark Haslam said: "The tremendous success of this festival and the overwhelmingly positive reaction means that we hope to make Beer on the Wye an annual event for the city."

He promised more beer, more cider and more perry for next year's festival.