A massive 16,500 pints were sunk at the annual Kent CAMRA beer festival.

The three day event is the second oldest Campaign Real Ale beer festival in England, and takes place at a barn in Merton Farm, Canterbury.

Around 7,000 punters had a choice of 100 varieties of beer and 40 different ciders.

Tipples from nearly all 22 Kent breweries were available alongside a number of other British beers and a wide range of mainly bottled foreign beers.

Local produce was also celebrated with cakes, cheese and pies all on sale.

Music from a number of the area’s bands created a jolly spirit, while children were kept occupied with balloon sculptures from a magician, and grown ups enjoyed demonstrations on combining fresh local food with real ales.

Simon Reed from CAMRA said: “It was a great weekend and a brilliant way to celebrate not just local breweries but also the area’s produce.

“We are all too aware that pubs have been struggling but the festival goes a long way to showing that there is a big market for micro breweries and real ales, and that they are more popular than ever before.

“This is something that pub chains could and should take advantage of.

“We have made a conscious effort to make the festival family friendly and to make it welcoming, this is reflected that we have little or no trouble.

“The event also prides itself on celebrating local produce.”