Thousands decided to ‘hop’ down to Christchurch Meadows to enjoy a beer and live music at the 25th Reading Real Ale and Jazz Festival.

The annual fundraiser for Reading Hockey Club attracted huge crowds with visitors able to sample a wide range of beers from 22 different breweries and cider from seven producers.

The event, supported by the Reading Post, ran from Thursday to Saturday, and also featured live jazz bands in a massive marquee where people danced and partied each night.

The music began on Thursday with Laura B and The Moonlighters followed by Britain’s Got Talent stars The Jive Aces.

On Friday there were performances from Swing Fever and The Red Stripe Band.

Saturday’s entertainment started with The Old Thumper Jazz Band followed by Ray Harris and The Fusion Experience and was rounded off by the eccentrics of The Bob Kerr Whoopee Band.

Scott Marley, 27, and his girlfriend Sophie Anderson, 25, from Mead Close, Caversham. were visiting the festival for the first time.

Scott said: “I’ve been to several beer festivals and this one is going pretty well so far.

“It’s nice to see some Yorkshire beers as I lived there for quite a while.

“Generally the people that drink ciders and ales are quite nice people.”

Fred Trigg, 51, and his wife Suzy, from Barkham, said: “It’s been very good. I used to be an ale drinker. Not so much recently, I moved to cider, but I could be converted again.”

His wife Suzy, 50, was looking forward to seeing The Bob Kerr Whoopee Band, who she last saw about 25 years ago at the Cambridge Folk Festival.

“It’s a lovely relaxed atmosphere,” she said.

“We were just saying we haven’t had much of a summer this year, so it’s been nice to come out for the evening.”

Among the breweries taking part were many from across the county, including Loddon Brewery, West Berkshire Brewery Company, Ascot Ales and the Windsor & Eton Brewery.

There were also several ales from much further afield such as the Black Eye Brewery from the Scottish Highlands, Adnams from Suffolk and St Austell Brewery in Cornwall.

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