AFTER sweeping the board at the national cider awards, Herefordshire cider and perry-makers will be taking centre stage at this year's Beer on the Wye festival.

The city festival, organised by Herefordshire CAMRA, will return on July 5-7, featuring nine live bands, hot and cold food, and camping in a fabulous riverside location near the rowing club.

National CAMRA cider and perry making champions Roger Pinnell, of Mayfayre Cider, Upper Dormington and Lewis Scott of Cleeve Orchard Perry, Ross-on-Wye, will receive their awards on stage at the festival.

And keeping the champions company at the family-friendly festival will be over 130 other ciders and perries, most from small Herefordshire producers.

Mark Haslam of Herefordshire CAMRA said: "These awards mean that Britain's best cider and perry now indisputably comes from Herefordshire.

"With the variety of ciders and perries at the festival, it will be more like Cider on the Wye than Beer on the Wye this year, although there will be plenty of beer, too!"

The festival will also see the Mayor of Hereford join the group for the launch of new CAMRA initiative, Press2Pub.

Featuring a guide to all Herefordshire pubs offering local cider and perry, the initiative aims to increase the number of county pubs selling locally sourced drinks.

Visit the Beer on the Wye website here for more information.