BOGGARTS Brew, Moorhouses Pride of Pendle, Marble Organic and Mayflower Chocolate Mild are among the many tempting and wonderfully named offerings over the next three days at Widnes RUFC's inaugural beer festival.

Rugby union clubs are renowned for enjoying, the social side of the game. But never before has such an attractive array of real ales been assembled under the Heath Road clubhouse's roof.

They should taste every bit as good as they sound. True to its roots, the club has plumped for a range of draught beers, all but one of which was brewed in the North.

But the selection of bottled beers and lagers is far more cosmopolitan.

They have been brought in from the USA, the Czech Republic, Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands and Italy.

Club regulars have been taking the chance to put their names on the tipples through sponsorship.

Club secretary John Loughnane said: 'President-elect George Street has picked Acorn Barnsley Bitter because that's where he and six others stayed overnight on the Chesterfield-Leeds Trans-Pennine Trail bike ride a fortnight ago.

'I picked Wentworth Bitter because that's where we pulled in for refreshment en-route.

'George said he would have gone for that one too but his wife, Sue, who is organising the entertainment for the Saturday night of the festival, wanted to know why we stopped at a pub called George and Dragon.' A more romantic sponsorship deal has been sealed for the distinctly unromantic-sounding Boggart's Brew by Joanne Code, from Widnes, for husband Peter.

'Joanne phoned up after seeing a Weekly News article about the festival the other week,' said John.

'They met at the Wids in May 1985 and are just coming up to their tenth wedding anniversary in August.'

Some 25 guest ales will be served alongside the three regular house casks.

The event opens this evening with Drinkers' Night, 7pm-11pm, with the emphasis on the beers.

Opening hours for the following two days are 6pm-11pm. Friday is ideal for those who fancy a swift half after work - remembering, of course, to leave the car at home.

Later, there will be live music from Inertia and Worn Out Faces.

Sixties and 70s Night on Saturday sees a return to the Wids by popular demand for In The Mood, who went down a storm last year.

Tickets - at £5 per person per night - are available from John on 0151 423 2828 or from Widnes RUFC on 0151 424 2575.

Those who buy a ticket for the first two nights will receive one for the third free. The admission fee covers a programme, commemorative beer glass and two free drinks.

Mr Loughnane added: 'Commemorative half-pint glasses are being sponsored by Nick Preston of Joe Preston and Son. But nobody who knows prop forward Nick would ever associate him with half pints.'