ORGANISERS behind a Meon Valley beer festival have announced a record-breaking charity haul of almost £10,000.

Ale lovers flocked to Wickham Beer Festival on Saturday to sample dozens of local brews and raise money for good causes.

The amount raised is still being counted but is already a huge increase on last year’s total of £6,200.

“It went very well, there was another complete sell-out on the Saturday,” said organiser Dave Martin.

“We probably had about 750 people during the whole event ... drinking about 3,000 pints!”

Wickham Community Association and Meon Valley Lions catered the event, at the Wickham Centre, and were among its beneficiaries. Proceeds also went to Rett UK, a charity funding research into Rett syndrome, and the Fire Fighters Charity. Live entertainment came from The Rock ‘n’ Roll and Snatch Rescue.

Organisers are already planning the next Wickham Beer Festival, on October 15, hope to raise even more.