REAL ale enthusiasts drank to their heart's content at the Seend Beer Festival, and downed 1,100 pints.

The festival on Saturday, the second one to be held, was hailed as an even bigger success than last year.

More than 320 people enjoyed the festival at the Seend Social Club. There were 15 real ales ranging in strength from 3.5 per cent proof to the strongest one, Exmoor Stag, at 5.2 per cent.

Graham Hickman, one of the organisers of the festival, said: "As the Exmoor Stag ale was the strongest ale people tended to make a beeline for it before going on to weaker ale and then going back for more Stag.

"The Stag ale was the first to sell out and most of the other ales sold out by the end of the evening."

People came from Seend, Devizes and Chippenham, but also further afield.

A man from Wales who enjoyed last year's festival after finding it by chance while on holiday in the area, returned this year especially for the festival and bought several bottles of ale to take away.

The ales were from the south of England and included some with weird and wonderful names such as Pressed Rat and Warthog, and Beachcomber, which had a startling grapefruit tang, which took some drinkers by surprise.

As well as ales there were three ciders and one Perry on sale.

The two pig roasts during the evening proved extremely popular with the beer enthusiasts.

Musical entertainment was provided with Frankie Johns, a singer from Bath, appearing in the afternoon and in the evening Rarin To Go, a four piece band, performed Irish music.

Mr Hickman said: "We will definitely be holding the beer festival again next year.

"It was an excellent day and well attended.

"Everyone enjoyed themselves and all the profits will go to the social club to help pay for ongoing improvements."