A FARM on Herefordshire's border became the UK's top hop spot when hundreds of brewers, hop farmers and beer writers gathered.

More than 350 industry figures met at Stocks Farm in Suckley for an annual hop walk and seminar organised by Charles Faram, one of the world's leading hop dealers.

The walk takes place during the hop harvest and sees Mr Faram release details of industry developments such as new hop varieties and hop products.

Paul Corbett, MD of the Charles Faram hop breeding programme, said: "In today's dynamic beer scene it is crucial to be innovative and to develop hops with a wider range of more intense, exciting flavours for the brewer.

"We are mindful of hop growers too so the hops we breed must be sustainable and possess good agronomic characteristics.

"Worcestershire and Herefordshire have ideal conditions for growing hops and that is why we are based here."

Mr Corbett said brewers in the USA are "increasingly looking to Britain for the complexity of the hops grown here".

"We are proud to fly the flag for British hops by exporting approximately 30 per cent of the hops grown in this country," he added.