THE winner of West Dorset's real ale pub of the year has been announced.

The Spy Way Inn, in Askerswell, has been named as top pub for 2018. by West Dorset CAMRA.

The pub has previously won this competition in 2011 and is the current West Dorset CAMRA Garden of the year winner.

A regular in the CAMRA Good Beer Guide and well frequented, the pub beat off stiff competition and triumphed through its consistent beer quality, traditional house keeping with friendly welcome and service, being judged by a panel of CAMRA volunteers.

The pub is situated at the top of the village of Askerswell just off the A35 between Dorchester and Bridport in the shadow of Eggardon Hill on an old smuggler’s run.

Split into three areas internally with an open beamed cosy bar and two dining areas separated by a corridor leading to a stunning garden that provides pretty rural vistas. As well as serving well kept beer the pub has a diverse food menu and offers bed and breakfast accommodation. The family have run the pub for fifteen years.

Speaking on behalf of the Wilkes family, landlady Vivien said: "We are absolutely thrilled to win this award with so many other good pubs in West Dorset providing good beer and food and we appreciate the recognition of this award.”

West Dorset Campaign for Real Ale chairman Dave Harris added: “I’m certain this award is richly deserved – a small country pub delivering excellent beer with service to match. Add to this a great locally sourced menu and dramatic views out across the award winning garden and you have a formula that is indeed hard to beat."

The pub now enters the next round in this national competition, the Wessex region taking on pubs from East Dorset ,Hampshire, Wiltshire, the Isle Of Wight and the Channel Islands.