Top-flight quiz teams from across Kent competed in the county final of the KM Big Quiz on Friday night.

The Unicorn team from St Dunstan's, Canterbury came out on top in the battle of wits pipping the Bonny Cravat team from Woodchurch, Ashford by four points. Canterbury rivals Moomins and last year's county champions Yellow Slinky made up the rest of the top four at the event held at the Shepherd Neame brewery function rooms in Faversham.

The eight competing teams earned their place by coming top in one of four KM Big Quiz heats staged across the county. The Canterbury, Maidstone, Medway and Folkestone heats of the event each filled a sports hall in their part of Kent and raised a combined £25,000 for chararities.

The county final raised £870 for the children's road safety charity KM Walking Bus which organises the record breaking events in partnership with the KM Group. The Shepherd Neame bar raised £250 towards this.

Score table: 1st Unicorn 71 points, 2 Bonny Cravat 67, 3 Moomins 63, 4 Yellow Slinky 61, 5 Italian Concoction 57, 6 Whoops Vicar 56, 7 Joolie Moolie Traveling Company 55, 8 SG3 50.

A provisional date has been set for the Canterbury heat of the KM Big Quiz in 2009 of March 20. Information will be available from www.kmbigquiz.co.uk in the coming weeks.

Shepherd Neame has ended its sponsorship of the KM Big Quiz prompting a search for a new sponsor of the record breaking charity event.

The Faversham-based brewery has ended its support of the quiz night because of the downturn in the economy, although it will make its beer available on a retail basis and hopes to still provide a home for the county final of the event.

To recognise the key support Sheps has provided to the Big Quiz event organiser Simon Dolby presented Louise Hopkins of Shepherd Neame with a special thank you certificate.

Sheps provided the Spitfire charity bar donating the stock of beer and wine and providing staff to sell it at the four Big Quiz heats in the county. These raised between £1,000 and £2,000 at each event.

Mr Dolby said: "Louise and Shepherd Neame have been a major factor in the KM Big Quiz success story over the last eight years and we are very sorry to lose their sponsorship but understand the decision and the economic pressures that have caused it."

He added: "Now the search is on for a replacement organisation to take charge of the charity bar or to sponsor the £500 cost of the stock at each event."

To discuss the publicity opportunities available from sponsoring the KM Big Quiz contact Mr Dolby on 07989 164 752.