REVELLERS at Newent Cricket Club's beer festival and pig roast on Sunday drank it dry in just three hours.

Club spokesman Richard Martin said: "We opened at 7pm and ran out of beer at 10pm. It was a tremendous success.

"Next year we'll start at 2pm and we will challenge people to drink us dry. We'll be well prepared."

Mr Martin said up to 600 people attended the good-natured event and at least £3,000 was raised for the club's youth programme.

Takings were twice as much as expected and the club car park at the cricket ground, in Three Ashes Lane, was full the whole evening.

The free bus shuttle service from Newent was also popular.

In total, participants drank their way through around 2,000 pints. Among the ales on offer, the Wye Valley "Butty Bach" was the hit of the festival.

Next year, the club plans to increase the number of real ale kegs.