A NEW brewery that opened near York has won its first award.

Half Moon Brewery launched in Ellerton, south-east of Wheldrake, won the "beer of the festival" award at The Pub festival in Leicester, for its Dark Masquerade ale.

Toni Leach, festival organiser and pub manager, said: “It’s a wonderful beer. During the festival we sold over 3,000 pints of beer and all customers were asked to vote for their first, second and third favourite beers, and Dark Masquerade won by a mile.“

Half Moon Brewery was started by Tony and Jackie Rogers last December, in Ellerton, south-east of Wheldrake.

Tony said: “It was a great surprise when Toni told us we’d been voted beer of the festival; I had no idea it was being judged. The beer has been a great success and I’m delighted we've won an award so soon.”

Dark Masquerade is a rich ruby-brown ale, with chocolate and liquorice flavours.