A PUB's real ale enthusiasts are preparing to travel far and wide to search for the perfect beers to bring back.

Drinkers at The Beamish Mary Inn, in No Place, near Stanley, County Durham, will head for places such as Lincolnshire, Bradford, Huddersfield and Rochdale to check out beers that could feature in the pub's annual beer festival at the end of the month.

The 13 teams will select 26 ales, and the one that is voted most popular by visitors to the festival will win the pub's own version of the FA Cup.

Graham Ford, landlord of the pub, which has won several awards for its promotion of real ale, said: "As well as finding fine beers, this year we are having a sausage festival as part of the event and we are challenging people to bring back tasty local bangers that go with the beer they bring back.

"It's good fun. We have been doing this for four years now. The first year I came last, but won it the second year.

"The festival is always very popular. We hold it over a weekend and the Saturdays are chock-a-block."

The festival will be held from Friday to Sunday, January 27 to 29, from 5pm to 11pm on the Friday, noon to 11pm on the Saturday and noon to 10.30pm on the Sunday.

Entry to the event is free.

Entertainment will include a rock band on the Saturday night and a duo on the Sunday afternoon.