A beer brewed in Sedgley has been announced as the Campaign for Real Ale's Champion Beer of the West Midlands.

Dark Ruby Mild from Sarah Hughes Brewery came out on top following a year of judging of different categories at festivals across the region.

The six per cent strength ale also won in the red, brown, old and strong milds category. Another of the beers brewed by Sarah Hughes at the Beacon Hotel in Bilston Street also won gold in the barley wine and strong ales category.

Snowflake - eight per cent - had won the national winter beer competition for CAMRA earlier in the year.

Operations manager and director Simon Massey was presented with the gold awards at West Midlands CAMRA's regional awards at the Firs Suite in Codsall on Friday.

Regional director Shelly Bentley announced Best BItter from Brierley Hill-based Batham's as silver winner in the Champion Beer competition with Titanic Brewery's Plum Porter winning bronze.

The Firs is the West Midlands club of the year for CAMRA and is through to the final four of the national competition with the overall winner to be announced in the new year.