MEMBERS of the Beaufort Hunt are marking the retirement of Captain Ian Farquhar from the mastership after 34 years by quaffing a pint or two of a beer called The Old Captain.

The special Old Captain label, featuring a picture of the retiring Captain Farquhar, were designed to celebrate his stepping down from the role.

The Old Captain is a limited edition of the Flying Monk Brewery's Elmer's Beer, and who better to pull the first pint than Ian, at his daughter Victoria’s pub, the Holford Arms near Westonbirt.

The Malmesbury brewery produces a range of beers, including Elmer’s Beer, Wiltshire Pale Ale, Jackdaw Porter and Birdman Bitter.

Flying Monk managing director Iain Morrison said: "Various people ask us to produce their own labels and we are quite happy to do that."

He said they were commissioned to produce the new label using a submitted design, and that the beer under the Old Captain label would be served from a number of local venues.