Hundreds of people have flocked to the St Aldhelm’s Centre in Branksome for the 21st annual Poole Beer Festival.

Nearly 1,500 are expected to attend the event, hosted by the East Dorset CAMRA club, which started yesterday and continues today.

There are 86 real ales on offer, plus five keg beers, 20 ciders and some speciality beers, as well as hotdogs and other hot foods.

Festival co-organiser Darren Lilleker said: “It is all about trying new beers and meeting and talking with likeminded people.

“There are people we see that have been coming since it started and have come every year since. It’s a nice occasion to meet up with old friends.

“We have a lot of local brewers like Drop The Anchor from Christchurch and the Brew Shack from Sixpenny Handley, and we also have other from across the country, as well as Wales and Ireland.

Andy Brown, organiser of the first Poole Beer Festival, said: “When we started out, we were looking to get around 40 people to the lunchtime sessions, but we were actually getting around 70 which was brilliant.

“Now they are getting around 200 people on what is usually the quieter sessions which is great to see.”

The beer festival will be raising money for its chosen charity this year Dorser Children’s Foundation, a charity based in Boscombe that supports sick and disabled children by funding medical expenses not covered by the NHS. All the proceeds from the raffle will go to the charity.

Darren continues: “It’s a great charity because they help kids that need speciality equipment, require modifications to their house or their mobility.

“Because most of the people we have coming to these events are parents and grandparents, they will understand how important the charity is to these kids.”

Community Events organiser Louise Hands-Heathfield said: “The ethos we have at DCF is big enough to make a difference but small enough to care.

“We specialise in helping children with operations, equipment and therapy that they are unable to get on the NHS. In the six years we have been running, we have put £650,000 to helping young children in Dorset

“Events like this are lovely because its helps spread the word about the charity and what we do, but you get to meet lovely people and just have a nice time.”

Today’s sessions run from 11am to 3.30pm and 6.30pm until 11pm. Tickets are £10 and guests will receive a programme and a free Poole Beer festival pint glass.