Fancy drinking local ale in a scenic wood? Bolton's famous beer festival is back this Saturday – and tickets are selling out fast.

Fewer than 100 tickets are left for Northern Monkey Brew Co's Monkey in the Woods festival at Smithills Estate on Saturday, September 14.

It will be held at Woodland Trust car park off Barrow Bridge Road.

Twelve of Northern Monkey's beers and cask ales will be on offer plus select local beers.

Punters can wash it down with pizza from Cugini's and barbecue from Smoke, Meat and Fire.

All at scenic Barrow Bridge.

Northern Monkey co-owner Liam Convey, 38, said: “We’ll have a lot of everyone’s favourite Northern Monkey ales and twelve craft keg beers.

Monkey in the Woods festival at night 2021Monkey in the Woods festival at night 2021 (Image: Liam Convey)

“And we’ve done a festival beer, a 6 per cent Chocolate Honeycomb Stout called Buzzin’ in a nod toward Oasis.

“There will be gin, lager and selection of good beers from different breweries, live music and a good crowd.

“It’s a good time in a nice setting.

“At night, there will be lights in the trees. All the woodlands will be lit up.”

Live music will be playing all day.

Local bands Finding Gaz, Fallen 4, Scott Dunning and Luke McColl are set to perform.

Beer in festival glasses; Cugini's pizza Beer in festival glasses; Cugini's pizza (Image: Liam Convey)

And Arceu5, a rock band with all teenage members will play live.

Liam said: “When Arceu5 come on stage, people think it’s cute, but when they sing, people say, ‘Wow, they’re amazing’.

“They’re from an organisation we work with, RockIt CIC, who help promote young musicians.

“This is just to give them a platform to perform.

“They’re quite young so they might only get certain gigs, but their performance was really well received at Smithills Hall Festival.”

Fallen FourFallen Four (Image: Liam Convey)

And Monkey in the Woods will benefit a good cause.

Thirty per cent of all the festival proceeds will go to the Woodland Trust who maintain Smithills Estate.

Liam said: “They felled a lot of trees at Smithills, put paths in and maintained the land.

“That wasn’t happening before.

“We’re just doing our bit for the local community.

“We want Smithills to keep it looking like the beauty spot it is.”

The Woodland Trust owns Smithills Estate, its largest property in England.

READ MORE: Walk this way and discover the mysteries of one of Bolton's most visited attractions

Smithills has more than 1,700 acres of open countryside, woodland and streams.

Roberta Gleaves, Engaging Communities Officer at Smithills Estate, said: “We are delighted to be able to support local businesses, thanks to our enterprise co-ordinator Karen Smith. Monkey in the Woods will be a great event.

"We hope to spend the donation Northern Monkey gives us on making the site an important home for nature and a welcoming place for people to visit and enjoy.”

To buy tickets, visit https://www.northernmonkeybrewco.co.uk/event-details/sat-14th-sep-12-30pm-4-30pm