REAL ale fans can celebrate National Pubs Week with the help of a new good local pubs guide.

Real Ale Around The Malvern Hills has been produced by CAMRA, the Campaign for Real Ale.

The 26-page guide is aimed at both locals and visitors and features 63 local pubs which serve real ale, including the Great Malvern Hotel, Nags Head in Malvern, Farmers Arms at Birtsmorton, The Greyhound at Eldersfield, White Lion Hotel in Upton, Three Kings at Hanley Castle and the Malvern Hills Hotel at British Camp.

"What makes a good pub is hard to define. They are so varied and different and that is part of the appeal," said Malvern CAMRA member Peter Bottomley.

Two of the pubs - the Nags Head and the Great Malvern Hotel - are also part of the Worcestershire Ale Trail which opens tomorrow (Saturday).

The aim is to visit at least 15 out of the 23 pubs on the trail between now and the end of March and collect stickers for an Ale Passport. A full passport gives participants a chance to win tickets for the Worcester Beer and Cider Festival in August.

For more information about the trail and ale passports, contact bruce@hayward-vickrage. freeserve.co.uk.

The beer guide costs £2.50 from Malvern Tourist Information Centre or by post from CAMRA, 84 Guarlford Road, Malvern, WR14 3QT, for £3.50 inc postage.