THE “WAR of the Roses” help raise thousands of pounds for good causes when it was the central theme of Aireborough Beer Festival.

Beers from Yorkshire and Lancashire competed for top place at the event, which raised £6,000 when it was staged for just the second time. The figure was double the amount raised in the first festival.

The event was held at Guiseley Theatre in June, and was launched with a rousing VIP opening night, before getting into full swing with two days of fun.

Spokesman Robert Mirfield said: “With 37 different draught beers, eight ciders, bottled beers and Prosecco on offer, visitors had a very wide selection of drinks to choose from. This year’s festival was based on the Wars of the Roses with all the draught beers being brewed in either Yorkshire or Lancashire. A number of smaller breweries were also featured with five making their festival debut.

“Of great relief to all Tykes was that votes on leaving showed a preference for the great Yorkshire pint over its Lancashire alternative by 60/40 per cent. However of all the individual beers on offer the outstanding beer selected by festival goers was the Lancashire brew Underdog, a Chocolate Treacle Porter brewed by Northern Monkey. This was just ahead of a nano brewery offering from the very close to home Horsforth Brewery’s Aubretia a Black IPA.”

Mr Mirfield said great support had come from a steady stream of Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) members, including intrepid festival followers from Doncaster, Grimsby and Wakefield.

He said: “Popularly received festival food was produced by a hard-working team from Rawdon Parish Church whilst music was supplied each night by a number of local performers.”

Acts included Nigel Passey, Peculiar Blue, Christy Herron Trio and Fleetwood Tracs, Cornell Daley, Easily Distracted, Boo Sutcliffe, and the Blind Dead McJones.

Mr Mirfield said:”The festival, in its second year, is run jointly by Rawdon St Peter’s Parish Church, Guiseley Theatre and Aireborough Rotary with the profits being split equally between the three organisations. An amazing £6,000 was raised for good causes locally, nationally and internationally.”