GAZETTE & HERALD: EIGHT hundred gallons of ale are expected to be downed at the 14th annual Chippenham Beer Festival later this month.

Tickets for the popular event, which has been a complete sell-out in previous years, are shifting like hot cakes and organisers hope to attract around 2,000 people.

The two-day festival, being held at the Olympiad from April 22 to 23, aims to highlight the wealth of real ale available and gives local people the chance to sample it.

It is manned entirely by volunteers from the local branch of the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA).

The Chippenham event is one of the biggest beer festivals in the South-West, with more than 80 different types of real ale on offer.

Organisers hope to provide old favourites like Sign of Spring, a popular green real ale, as well as new ones including Fire Bellied Toad, Naughty Ferret and Top Dog Stout.

Gareth MacDonald, vice chairman of the North Wiltshire CAMRA branch, said the final beer list would not be known until a few days before the festival, but there were bound to be some "crackers".

Regulars will know that the beer is served in perfect cellar condition as the Olympiad is able to maintain the temperature in the studio hall to replicate beer storing conditions thanks to state of the art air conditioning.

Also available will be 12 different types of ciders and perries.

Live music will entertain the crowds on both evening sessions.

Rock group the Outhouse Critics will be performing on Friday April 22 and the Celebration Jazz Band the following night.

Sessions at the beer festival will run from 6pm to 11pm on the Friday, and the Saturday will have a lunchtime session from 11am to 3.30pm andone from 7pm to 11pm.

Admission to the Friday evening session costs £4.50 per person, the Saturday lunchtime session costs £3 and the Saturday evening session costs £4.

Included in the cost of the entrance fee is a free festival glass.

Tickets are available direct from the Olympiad or by enclosing an SAE and a cheque payable to North West Wiltshire CAMRA to PO Box 2882, Chippenham, Wiltshire SN14 6WT.