A NORTH Yorkshire brewery is celebrating after one of its products scooped the top prize at a major festival.

The legendary status of Old Peculier, brewed by Theakston's of Masham, has been reinforced with the title of Champion Beer of Yorkshire at this year's Rotherham Oakwood Real Ale and Music Festival, an annual charitable event backed by the Campaign for Real Ale (Camra).

More than 180 Yorkshire beers from the region's 69 breweries were entered in the festival, but all entrants for the Camra award were subject to the rules established by the organisation for its Champion Beer of Britain title, leaving only 130 eligible. The only qualifying beers were those brewed in Yorkshire and available nationally and regularly.

Old Peculier - pictured above right - beat stiff competition to claim the top prize in a blind taste test by judges who included Camra members and invited guests.

Simon Theakston, executive director of Theakston's, said: ''It is a real honour. Old Peculier has stood the test of time and it is wonderful that the quality of its aroma and presentation has been acknowledged by dedicated consumers of real ale.

''I have often said the best beers in the country are from Yorkshire, and so to come out on top makes the win even more pleasing.''

Old Peculier will now go forward to the Great British Beer Festival held by Camra later this year. It is one of five permanent brands in the Theakston range, each brewed to an individual recipe.