A MASTER craftsman will be showing off his joinery skills and giving people the chance to win a hand-made cask of beer at the Great Yorkshire Show next week.

Jonathan Manby works as the master cooper at the Theakston brewery in Masham, crafting wooden casks in which the beers are kept. He has built the brewery's stand for the show, and will appear from Tuesday to Thursday to demonstrate his skills.

Mr Manby said: "Few companies can boast that they invest in a full-time cooperage and it's important that we keep this tradition alive not just as a museum piece but as part of an everyday working brewery."

Mr Manby will make one cask on each day of the show and visitors can enter a raffle to win a hand-made cask filled with Old Peculier.

This year marks the first appearance by the brewery at the show since the founding family re-acquired the company from Scottish Courage in September last year. It is now run by a management team led by Simon Theakston and his three brothers, all great-great-grandsons of founder Robert Theakston.

Simon Theakston said: "Theakston has had a long association with the Great Yorkshire Show so we are delighted to return to the event once again. The new stand, which we plan to use at a range of events over the coming months, provides an excellent opportunity for us to talk to customers old and new and to show them some of the things we are doing in Masham.

"It also allows us show off the unique skills of Jonathan and neatly illustrates how Theakston's future success is still guided by the tried and trusted traditions of the past."

Theakston employs 20 staff in Masham and has a visitors' centre where guests can see traditional brewing methods and learn about the history of brewing.