A FAMOUS Yorkshire beer that was controversially taken for Lancastrians has returned - at least for now.

Yorkshire beer drinkers were unhappy when John Smith's cask beer was brewed in Warrington, in the rival county of Lancashire.

Now the beer is once again being made in Tadcaster, between York and Leeds.

Some in Yorkshire stopped drinking the beer as brewed in Lancashire saying it had lost its head and had become tangy.

But Yorkshire drinkers say there's been a noticible improvement since production started again in Tadcaster want the return to be permanent.

Steve Bradley, a York drinker, said the Tadcaster brew was definitely superior.

He said: "It was magnificent and so smooth on the palate that I was forced to test several further pints to check it was no fluke.

"I implore the brewery to bring production back to Tadcaster. If they don't I'll stick to my cider."

A spokesman for Scottish and Newcastle, which brews the beer, said: "In order to gain a better understanding of the recent product quality issues experienced by some stockists of cask John Smith's we have been producting supplementary brews at our Tadcaster brewery.

"We can confirm that this beer has been delviered to trade customers alongside the Burtonwood (Warrington) brewed product."

Although Scottish and Newcastle was unable to to confirm for how long the beer would be brewed in Tadcaster, it said the decision to transfer to Warrington still stood.

Gary Penrose, owner of a York snooker hall, said the beer had massively improved since coming 'home' to Yorkshire.

He said: "It had dipped off, we'd been having problems, but since we put this brew on just over a week ago it's been brilliant. Our customers are well pleased. I hope the brewing is brought back to Tadcaster. We've had upteen problems with customers walking out and refusing to drink it but it's been fantastic."

A spokesman for Scottish and Newcastle said it was difficult to tell where a particular beer had been made. But he said the company was aiming to make all John Smith's beer as good as loyal drinkers remembered.