DEVIZES Beer Festival was enjoyed by people of all ages and a prolonged spell of rain did not dampen the spirits.

Held on Saturday the festival, in its ninth year and organised by Devizes Campaign for Real Ale, is different to other beer festivals as it caters for families.

With its canalside location at Devizes Wharf those attending can sit and gather outside rather than congregate inside the beer tent.

The festival was a sell out with 1,400 people attending. Most tickets were sold in advance with only 100 for sale on the day.

Festival goers were treated to a demonstration by the Sealed Knot Society, who re-enacted the English Civil War.

The Wyvern Band got the music under way followed by Perfect Patch, a two piece guitar band.

The other acts were Tom Harris, a Devizes based singer/guitarist, Fat Freddy's Cat which includes Wansdyke School headteacher Jim Smith and returning as the headline act was glam rock tribute band Same Old Faces from Swindon.

Youngsters took the opportunity to have their faces painted and were also entertained by magician Jack Stephens.

Devizes Guides cooked and sold sausages and burgers while a pig roast was enjoyed by many and a real cheese stall, at the festival for the first time, sold out of cheese.

The weather was warm and sunny in the morning and afternoon but the rain started to fall at 5pm and did not ease.

Don Jones, organiser of the beer festival, said: "The rain hit us late afternoon and in the evening it was deeply unpleasant.

"Some people went a little earlier than normal due to the rain but beer sales weren't down on last year.

"One group of people made themselves a little tent out of tables and other people brought umbrellas and coats with them."

There were over 50 real ales and ciders and perries.

The beer came from breweries all over the country and included selections from Devizes based Wadworth, Ramsbury and the Stonehenge brewery at Netheravon.

A panel judged Sunburst brewed by Dark Star at Haywards Heath in Sussex as the best beer of the festival and punters agreed as it was one of the ales that sold out.

Mr Jones said, like the beer, those attending the festival came from far and wide.

He said: "We had people from Essex, Devon and even a man from Portugal who comes over for a number of beer festivals in a camper van."