Christmas drinkers virtually drank Bath's brewery dry.

Abbey Ales is celebrating what it calls excellent sales of its best bitter Bellringer and special festive brew Twelfth Night.

Managing director of the Lansdown firm Alan Morgan said: "We had a very quiet summer but this Christmas we could not have sold another drop – and after completing our orders, we barely had a pint left in the brewery."

He added: "We have always concentrated on our home market and kept within a 15-mile radius of Bath and we are proud that real ale drinkers travel to Bath for our beer."

The firm's Abbey Inns arm has been taking over pubs at a time when other firms are closing them down.