THE organisers of a real ale festival have encouraged visitors to bring along apples from their gardens to help make cider for next years event.

The 10th annual Camra Richmond Ale Festival will be held in the town’s Market Hall this weekend with more than 30 cask conditioned beers available, as well as an assortment of ciders and perry.

As part of the event there will be demonstrations of a cider press during the closing afternoon on Sunday, combined with performances by the Muker Silver Band, who will appear from 1.30pm.

The apple pressing will celebrate Cider and Perry Month and Keith Thomas, one of the Festival organisers, said: "We'd like as many people as possible to bring their own apples at any time of the weekend. We'll add these to farm stocks to help produce 150 litres of juice to ferment for next year's festival.

"Contributors on Sunday will be able to take some juice away for tasting or for their own fermentation, or they can take a voucher with them and wait until next year to sample the finished product.”

Admission to the festival is free and entertainment will also include music from Rapscallion on Friday and The Town Hall Jammers on Saturday, with the entertainment starting at about 8pm on both evenings.