THE county's biggest beer and cider festival is set to return to Hereford's riverside this weekend – with more than 24,000 pints expected to be drunk.

Back for its twelfth year, Beer on the Wye XII can be found in a marquee pitched in a meadow next door to Hereford Rowing Club. It will be opened by the Mayor of Hereford and local brewer, Jim Kenyon, at 2pm on Friday, July 8.

Festival organisers, Herefordshire CAMRA, are promising a bigger and better show than ever this year – a larger marquee will ensure more space to serve and drink more than 24,000 pints of beer, cider and perry.

Last year just shy of 6,000 people attended over the three-day festival weekend.

More than 125 different cask beers from around 100 UK breweries will vie with 137 different ciders and perries (over a hundred of from Herefordshire alone), alongside an exotic collection of 40 bottled World Beers.

All Herefordshire brewers will be represented, with both Wye Valley Brewery and Leominster-based Swan Brewery brewing special, one-off beers for the event.

Eight live bands will feature over the weekend, with a reggae, dub and alt rock fusion from The World of Seduction on Friday night as well as blues rock from the Luke Doherty Band.

On Saturday there will be classic 'rock ruckus and mayhem' from The Rooters as well as rock'n'roll from The Hayriders.

The headliners on Saturday are The Skimmity Hitchers – described as Scrumpy and Western and like The Wurzels, but with less teeth.

Sunday is family fun day when there will be music from Emma and The Professor.

There is both hot and cold food (including vegetarian options) available and on Sunday there will be family fun from 12noon to 5pm which includes a professional entertainer, live music, face-painting, crafts and various other attractions. Admission is £1 with accompanied kids free.

Mark Haslam, from Herefordshire CAMRA, said: "We are so fortunate to have such a fabulous location for the festival – in the heart of historic Hereford, and an event that has earned a reputation for being trouble-free with a wonderful atmosphere to match."

For more information visit beeronthewye.org.uk