THE beer was flowing at a Hartlepool pub this weekend after it was named the cream of the crop by real ale fans.

The Causeway, in Stranton, followed up its Cleveland Campaign for Real Ale (Camra) Pub of the Season award by taking the Pub of the Year title.

Landlord Geoff Eccleshall and his partner, Eileen Clyburn, were presented with the award on Saturday.

Mr Eccleshall won the same award in 1998, while landlord of The Globe, in Guisborough.

He took over the pumps at The Causeway the following year, at the request of Camerons brewery, after the pub had seen a string of licensees come and go.

Since then, he has turned it into a thriving haven for drinkers and music lovers, with five regular real ales and guest beers, as well as live music on five days a week.

Mr Eccleshall said he was delighted to have won his second Cleveland Camra top award.

He said: "It's always good news from the pub's point of view. It means we get more people coming in to try us, and we keep a lot of them.

"It's an accolade for the quality of the product we sell and the type of pub that we run."