YORKSHIRE Air Ambulance will be the first to receive a charity award provided by the Addingham Beer Festival Committee after callous thieves stole its charity box from the local newsagents.

The festival committee has decided to make a contribution to replace the funds.

The collection box was stolen from Addingham Newsagents on Main Street, but newsagent Mark Preston says members of the community were quick to help out when they heard of the theft.

Customers offered money to replace the donations stolen and when the beer festival organisers heard of the theft, they immediately began looking into making the charity one of the causes to benefit from this year's event.

Organisers said this festival was the "best ever" with positive feedback on the choice of beers and ciders.

More than 800 people attended, securing a profit of £10,800.

Kris Hopkins, Keighley MP and Minister for Community Pubs, attended the Saturday afternoon session where the Olicana Brewing Club held a demonstration on how to brew your own beer.

Festival chairman Richard Hunter-Rowe said: "People travelled from far and wide to attend the festival. We had visitors from Cheshire, Leicestershire, Stockport and Wrexham which is fantastic support for a locally organised event. We hope to see new and familiar faces next year and that our festival continues to go from strength to strength.”