Drinkers at this week's Bolton Beer Festival 2000 will have a staggering choice of 200 real ales. An ale and hearty ROGER WILLIAMS had an exclusive taster . . . and just look how he ended up!

BOLTON was awash with a downpour so relentless that fights broke out at the Central Library over the last copy of Ark Building For Beginners. England lost to Germany and Kevin Keegan went from saviour to scapegoat. Maybe my priorities are skewed, but it's seemed like the sort of few days that gives you a hint what Hell must be like.

Struggling out of bed on another chilly morning, it seemed that nothing could rescue the week.

Then I was sent to preview Bolton's seventh annual beer festival.

It was time to eat, drink and be merry.

Only without the eating bit.

Arriving at the Howcroft Inn in Pool Lane, where the beerfest hopped into action last night, I was confronted by the biggest collection of barrels this side of the Boddington's Brewery.

Here thousands of real ale lovers will pour into a makeshift marquee and consume something like 16,000 pints before Sunday is through. And in the best traditions of journalistic stereotypes, I felt it was my duty to get a head start.

The blue-and-white tent is temporarily housing Bolton's longest bar -- a scaffold construction some 96 ft long with no fewer than 36 hand pumps.

Under this canvas roof were arrayed many of the finest beers in the land, from Kent to Scotland, and it was not possible to do more than scrape the surface. But what a surface it was. Whether you prefer a pitch-black porter or a light real ale lager, there's enough on offer to please all palates.

Did I mention what a great week it had been Opening times and admission prices are: Thursday 7pm-11pm (£3), Friday 7pm-12pm (£4), Saturday 12pm-6pm (£2), 7pm-12pm (£4) and Sunday 12pm-4pm (free). Admission includes 20p off a pint of Doctor Dibnah. All profits go to Bolton Lads and Girls' Club.