Ale-lovers turned out in force to sup 14,000 pints and make this year's Bradford Beer

festival a big success.

Members of the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) returned to their day jobs yesterday after spending three days hosting the event at Victoria Hall in Saltaire.

John Bell, secretary of Bradford CAMRA, was back at his manager's desk at Lloyds Bank in Bingley.

He said more than 3,000 people had taken part in the eighth annual festival and worked their way through 100 different ales, perrys and ciders.

"The atmosphere and buzz of the festival over the weekend was fantastic," he said.

"When there was no music there was the buzz of conversation and when the music was on the sound of it added to the atmosphere.

"Everyone really enjoyed themselves and we signed up about 15 new members."

Bradford West MP Marsha Singh was invited to attend by CAMRA on Saturday.

He sampled some of the ales and was given a tour of the event.

Throughout the event visitors were given a voting form with their programme and asked to nominate their favourite beer.

True Grit from the Millstone Brewery was declared the overall winner.

The ale from the brewery in Ashton-Under-Lyne was described as "very pale and hoppy, strong, and made using only Chinook hops".

Mr Bell said the festival had been a great success and hoped it would be repeated next year.

A booklet to prevent the closure of the district's real ale pubs was launched on the second day of the festival. It is hoped it will help encourage the reopening of pubs such as The Wheatley in Ben Rhydding and Cock and Bottle in Bradford.

Mr Bell said: "We remain optimistic about the pubs in the area. It would be nice to see the Wheatley and the Cock and Bottle re-open as pubs.

"We need to try and save these pubs and in the meantime make sure the other pubs in the area do not close.

"It is a hard battle but something we will continue to campaign for."

Mr Bell added: "I would like to thank everybody who worked at the festival and everybody who came through the door, and made it such an enjoyable event."

Anyone wishing to join CAMRA can get more information from the group's website, www.bradfordcamra.org.uk