A REAL ale enthusiast has made a clarion call to fellow lovers of traditional beer in the Durham area.

Civil servant Ken Weaver was among a number of beer drinkers who answered a cry for help for new blood from the local branch of the real ale pressure group Camra.

The emergency meeting at the Durham Beer Festival attracted widespread interest and was followed up with a record turn-out at the next scheduled branch meeting, at the Tap and Spile pub in Framwellgate Moor.

Ken put himself forward to take over as branch chairman, and was voted into the post.

He was one of a number of new officers appointed to keep the branch afloat and said now it is up and running again, he hopes it will continue to grow.

Ken, 36, who works at the National Savings department, said under his stewardship he hopes the branch magazine, the Durham Drinker, will be revived on a regular basis.

He said: "Thanks to the enthusiasm of members, the Durham Drinker will come out four times a year.

"We are planning a number of events and will shortly be visiting the Border Brewery in Berwick to present them with their award for the best beer at the recent festival.

"We will also be making an award to The Grey Horse pub in Consett, which was voted our Pub of the Year.

"I only hope we can once again become an active part of the Camra network, and contribute to its continued success."