A building society boss was today raising a glass to his new business venture - a micro-brewery.

Steve Blizzard, responsible for creating Skipton Building Society's Homeloan Management business, has joined forces with Broughton Hall estate manager David Aynesworth to create Wharfedale Brewery.

The co-owners of the new brewery are producing their own ales, brewed to secret recipes in time-honoured tradition.

Mr Aynesworth and Mr Blizzard carried out their research in a tiny building at Hartlington Hall, Burnsall, known as the Folly, which has been transformed into a micro brewery.

It is from here that Folly Ale, Executioner and Van Der Plas were developed to be sold to pubs across the district.

"The idea of creating a brand-new brewery in the Dales harks back to the time when there were numerous rural village breweries serving their own local community," Mr Aynesworth said.

"Now the experimental stage of our brewery is over we aim to be in full commercial production by late summer."

The business is planning to grow some of its own raw materials - wheat and barley - alongside the brewery. The brewery waste (mash) will be fed to the brewery's own - yet to be purchased - Gloucester Old Spot pigs.

The beers are to be produced in barrels as well as bottles and will be distributed to pubs via a fully liveried 1926 Model T Ford brewery dray.

Locals are to be employed in the business which both men insist is "going places."

They hope eventually to research the history of brewing in the Dales, both from the methods of production and the whereabouts of breweries point of view.