The borough's oldest brewery has been honoured for its “superb” range of ales by Bolton’s branch of the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA).

The Bank Top Brewery Ale House on Church Street, Horwich, was given the Winter Pub of the Season award this week.

CAMRA was founded in 1971, and all the volunteers at each branch promote real ale, cider and perry and campaign against closures, for punters across the country.

Managers Abi Derbyshire and William Tonge have worked at the pub for three years, but were given management roles just five months ago and are overjoyed at getting the award.

The Bolton News: Abi said: “It feels amazing to win the award.

“As Will and I only took over management just a few months ago, even being nominated by CAMRA would have been exciting, so to win is a pretty big deal for us.”

Will added: “I feel privileged to win the award.

“I feel like CAMRA is a huge part of the pub community and it's an honour to be nominated by them.”

How winners are selected by CAMRA remains one of CAMRA’s “trade secrets”.

Will added: “We are just pleased that they chose us and they love our ales and the ale house.

“We have nine hand-pumped cask ales on the bar, eight by Bank Top and one guest feature, as well as an assortment of lagers, spirits, and world beers to choose from.

The Bolton News: “Our staff are all trained to pour our ales, so there are no flat pints to be found in the establishment either.

“We pride ourselves on pouring the perfect pint, and each one is served with a smile.”

Abi says that the best thing about the pub that keeps punters coming back, is the people in the community, which keeps the pub “alive” and “bubbling”.

Abi added: “People from all walks of life gather in the pub, meet each other and form friendships they wouldn't make anywhere else, and these keep the ale house alive and bubbling.

“It's truly our customers that make the Alehouse special for me.”

Will says that the ales that they provide play a massive part in making the pub “great”, with nine different ales to choose from at reasonable prices.

Will added: “As well as being a nice quiet place with no TVs and no fruit machines, we offer a safe haven for people seeking good beer and a quiet place to drink.”

The building has been a pub for as long as anyone in Horwich can remember.

Bank Top Brewery took over the building and opened the ale house in 2013 and has been thriving ever since.