A BEER brewed in Masham can claim to be the official taste of the Yorkshire Dales after a partnership was cemented over a pint yesterday.

The Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority is celebrating its 50th anniversary with a comprehensive programme of events, launched last month by actor Brian Blessed and presented by DJ Sir Jimmy Savile.

However, debate over how to toast the landmark was settled at The Fox and Hounds in West Burton, yesterday when Black Sheep was named the national park's official beer.

Brewery founder Paul Theakston said: "We are very proud to be associated with the Yorkshire Dales National Park in this way as the Dales form the heartland of the Black Sheep Brewery."

The emblem of the park and the local brew are already similar in that they both include a ram's head.

Mr Theakston said: "When we were thinking of suitable names for our new brewery over ten years ago, a sheep was the obvious choice as they are synonymous with the area, so becoming the official beer of the national park seems to be the perfect match between ale and dales."