A micro-brewery which moved into its present premises three years ago is continuing to expand.

Ian Cowling, who is spearheading the growth of Old Bear Brewery, in Pitt Street, Keighley, has invested in 100 new barrels.

The expansion will help him find new customers for his stable of beers and provide an improved service for his present customers.

The 72-pint firkins are expected to arrive in the next couple of weeks.

The move follows other recent expansion in which Ian has set on an assistant brewer, Stewart Ankin, and employed a full-time delivery man, Chris Butterfield.

Ian said: "It's important we get these new barrels, even though they have rocketed in price in the last 18 months from about £30 each to £63.

"But something as simple as not having enough barrels can really hold a brewery back."

Collecting barrels for small breweries was a problem because it could be weeks between deliveries.

"This means making a special trip to a pub out in the wilds is not always cost effective.

"But one of the great things about micro-breweries is the friendly rivalry - so we will often collect barrels for each other."

The Old Bear Brewery was established in June, 1993, at the Old White Bear pub in Cross Hills.

It is a ten-barrel plant which moved to Pitt Street in 2004.