CUMBRIAN breweries scored highly at the Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) North West Region Beer Competition - with one claiming six medals.

Staveley-based Hawkshead Brewery was awarded four golds, a silver and a bronze at competition, which saw judges filter out winners from 260 beers and 50 breweries.

Approximately 100 independent craft brewers, beer industry representatives and experienced beer drinkers had their say at the Macron Stadium, Bolton throughout the day.

Hawkshead Brewery's bottled beer Tonka beat 81 other small pack (bottle and can) beers to be declared overall champion.

Windermere Pale scooped the overall silver medal with both beers winning gold medals in their respective categories (Speciality and Standard Bitters & Pale Ales).

Lakeland Lager also won gold in Bottle Premium Lager & Pilsners and IPA Bronze in Premium Strong Beers.

“It’s been a busy year and to come away with these awards is brilliant, I’m particularly pleased that Tonka not only won its category, but took overall champion,” said Head Brewer Matt Clarke.

“Tonka and Windermere Pale couldn’t be more different and we’re delighted the judges appreciated both the complex, dark, rich flavours of Tonka and those of Windermere Pale – a low strength hoppy pale ale.”

Alex Brodie, owner of Hawkshead Brewery said: "Tonka is our head brewer's baby. It is great to see such an innovative beer do so well and it must be the first beer using tonka beans - a fruit of the South American Cumaru tree - to win such a prestigious award."

There was also gold for Ambleside's Barngates Brewery's Tag Lag beer in the Best Bitters and Pale Ales category while there was a silver for Cumbrian Legendary Ale's Buttermere Beauty in the Small Pack Premium Lager & Pilsners section.

The Ambleside company also won a bronze for its Loweswater Gold in the Small Pack - Standard Bitters & Pale Ales category.

The Old School Brewery at Carnforth won bronze in the Small Pack - Standard Mild Ales & Brown Ales Bitters & Pale Ales category for its Blackboard beer.

All gold category winners will now be entered into the SIBA National Finals, which take place at BeerX in Sheffield (March 16-19, 2017).