BEER drinkers in Darlington are raising a glass to the town's pubs after the average price of a pint increased by only the rate of inflation.

An annual survey by the Darlington branch of the Campaign for Real Ale (Camra) showed that beer prices went up last year at a slower rate than the previous five years.

The average price of a pint of beer now stands at £2.15.

In the previous five years, the Camra report showed that real ale prices in Darlington had gone up by 19.5 per cent - nearly double the rate of inflation at 8.6 per cent.

The difference over that period amounted to an additional 18p.

However, Brendan Boyle, a former committee member of Darlington Camra and the compiler of the survey said he expected the trend to be short-lived.

"Things have moved on a bit because in January, the breweries have put up prices," he said.

"The cheap prices were refreshing while they lasted, but it didn't last more than a blink."

He said prices had rarely increased less than the rate of inflation over the past 20 years.

The survey was compiled at the end of last year across 37 pubs in the town and sampled a total of 122 different beer prices.

There were 76 different cask beers on sale at that time with the most common being Black Sheep Best Bitter - found in 14 pubs at an average price of £2.29.

Village pubs were more expensive than pubs in the town centre by an average of 16p -- £2.22 per pint compared to £2.06.