A DUDLEY beer festival which proved popular last year after 2,000 pints were downed in 17 hours, is returning later this month.

Sedgley Real Ale Beer Festival, which combines real ale and live music, is fast becoming an annual village event, raising money for the local Scout group, Children in Need and Cystic Fibrosis.

This year’s festival – featuring more than 30 real ales – will take place at Sedgley Jubilee Scout Hall between 5pm and 11pm on Friday September 25 and from noon until 11pm on Saturday September 26.

Ron and Paul Reynolds, beer managers, said: “In our first year we got through almost 4,000 drinks, last year it was 5,000, so this year we are ready to take it close to 6,000 glasses of ale, cider and wines too.”

Drinkers will be entertained throughout the weekend, with live music on Friday night from locals Ben and Alun Davies who will be delivering a range of 60’s, blues, folk, and classic rock numbers.

Joining the line-up on Saturday afternoon will be Sedgley Ukulele Strummers and the 1st Sedgley Morris Men, before star billing in the evening will be The Quo – also known as The Four Rossis – who will perform a wealth of Status Quo tunes.

The landlord of the Horse and Jockey, in Woodcross, will also be on hand to offer expert advice and recommendations.

Ian Foster, chairman of 1st Sedgley Scouts, said: “We are very excited with the amount of interest in the beer festival.

“It is really satisfying tasting beers for good causes, and with so many local people turning up, everyone seems certain to meet old friends.”

The Scouts used their share of the proceeds from last year’s festival to complete work on a log cabin and new toilets.

An entrance fee of £10 will include drinks and a souvenir festival glass. For more information call David Baugh on 07795 370712, or email davidbaugh@blueyonder.co.uk