Prize-winning pub is hot to trot...

FIRST past the post . . . White Lion landlady Michelle Fenton celebrates with the Thwaites dray horses

TWO giant shire horses paraded through Delph to celebrate the White Lion pub winning a Cask Marque ale excellence award.

It was a sight to behold as excited locals braved the rain to watch the pair of four-year-old horses, complete with glinting brass-buckled harnesses, pull the traditional dray cart on a victory lap of the village.

Landlady Michelle Fenton (38) has only been pulling pints at the popular local since February, but that has not stopped her from gaining the first accreditation in Saddleworth from the independent ale quality panel.

Judged on the clarity and quality of the beer and the upkeep of the cellar, judges showed up for on-the-spot checks to the pub in Delph Lane.

Having won the Manchester Food and Drink award at her last pub, the Tandle Hill Tavern, Michelle has certainly struck upon a winning formula.

She said: “Real ale is the only growing market in the pub industry and you can’t buy it from the supermarket.

“We’re a traditional pub which now serves superb ale and the brewery has really got behind us to help. I’m absolutely delighted.”

The award comes at the same time as the pub’s brewery, Thwaites, celebrates 50 years of re-introducing dray horses back into the company.

Children posed with the animals, originally used to carry barrels of ale from the brewery in Blackburn.

The newest mascots for the brewery, Wainright and Midas, proved a hit as they pulled a gleaming red, 120-year-old, dray cart around village streets.

Michelle added: “The horses are fabulous and all the locals, and children from the nursery were out in support as well as the folk band.

“It’s a brilliant way to celebrate and great for all the villagers.

“People need to support their local pubs and it’s great to see that today, but it’s up to the licensee to provide that something special.”

The pub becomes the ninth in the borough to be Cask Marque accredited.