SCORES of beer barrels were rolled into a town's art centre yesterday in preparation for a four-day festival of live music and real ale.

Almost 50 casks of traditional beer, from independent, micro and family breweries across Britain, will be stored at the Arts Centre, in Darlington, ready for the 25th annual festival, which runs from Thursday until Saturday.

About 4,000 pints of real ale, along with farmhouse ciders and bottled beers from Europe, will be served during the popular festival while visitors are entertained with music by the centre's R'n'B club.

Organiser Peter Fenwick, of the Campaign for Real Ale, said: "We will have a huge amount of flavoursome beers, something for every tastebud - including people who think they don't like beer.

"The Belgian raspberry and cherry beers served from champagne bottles have to be tasted to be believed."

Four new beers will be featured at the event, including Silver Lion from Camerons Lion brewery at Hartlepool, Silver Lining, brewed at the Four Alls pub at Ovingham, Teesdale, Moody Brew, from the Wensleydale Brewery, and Byker Blues, made by the Hadrian and Border Brewery on Tyneside.

For information and ticket details, contact (01325) 486555.