BEER-LOVERS are raising a glass to Clacton’s founding father at the town’s popular annual real ale and cider festival.

The Tendring branch of the Campaign for Real Ale is hosting the town’s 20th beer festival until Saturday night.

The festival got under way at St James’ Hall, in Tower Road, yesterday and includes more than 65 real ales and 20 ciders.

The theme for this year’s event is the 150th anniversary of the purchase of the first piece of land that would later become Clacton by Peter Bruff.

Jeff Luesley, branch chairman, said: “We have got a very interesting range of beers from Scotland – even our own volunteers have not seen any of them down here before. We had quite a job getting them.

“We have also got a Hawaiian beer in our foreign beer bar.

“Our festival is a very traditional affair and people don’t like to see too much change, but we will be raising a glass to Clacton’s founder, Peter Bruff, with the Peter Bruff Bitter, brewed by Norfolk’s Humpty Dumpty, on one of our hand pumps.”

There will also be a special Sesqui Centenary beer to mark the occasion.