THE Three Crowns in Chippenham has been named North West Wiltshire's Cider Pub of the Year by CAMRA for the second time in a row.

The pub on The Causeway will be presented with its award on Thursday, its seventh in the five years it has been run by Steve Jenner.

It also comes highly recommended for North West Wilts CAMRA (Campaign For Real Ale) pub of the year, which was this year won by the Bell Inn at Lacock.

The Buttercross Inn in Chippenham also came highly commended for its cider.

Mr Jenner said: "I always have three or four real ciders on and one or two perries. I like to showcase Wiltshire real ciders, made from real apples or pears, not concentrates, like Circle, Mates, Moonshine, Sherston and Wessex."

Last month The Three Crowns raised £250 for Combat Stress, a mental health charity for veterans, with a waxathon organised by barmaid Becky Middleton.

Regular Howard Dauncey screamed in agony as the hairs were ripped off his chest, but bore the pain with good humour.

One leg was enough for Gareth MacDonald, vice chairman of North West Wilts CAMRA, while ex-RAF armourer Dave Heavens, a delivery driver for Flying Monk Brewery near Hullavington, drank four pints before his double leg wax.

His partner Ruth Shepherd said: "Unfortunately Dave proved resistant to follicle torture and didn't make much noise."

Mr Heavens, 51, of Hawthorn Road, Chippenham, said: "I didn't feel a thing. It will be an ongoing thing now, as I cycle."

The Flying Monk Brewery donated a cask of Elmers beer to the pub to boost the charity total.