A LARGE crowd enjoyed the return of a beer festival to South Woodham Ferrers.

The fifth South Woodham Ferrers Campaign for Real Ale festival opened last Thursday at the Village Hall on Hullbridge Road, lasting until Saturday night. This year’s theme was Beers from Around the Coast and saw 35 real ales from almost every English coastline county offered, as well as eight ciders.

In keeping with the maritime theme, the festival raised funds throughout the weekend for the Royal National Lifeboat Institu- tion. Hot and cold food was avail- able from James Pierce, known as the Essex Hog King, and there was also live music from Andy Capp.

Chris Harvey, chairman of Maldon and Dengie branch of Camra, said: “Essex is famously the county in England with the longest coastline, so we thought it would be good to celebrate this by choosing some of the best beers available from around the nation’s coast."