A CHARITY beer festival gets underway at a Weymouth pub today in memory of a local resident.

The beer festival is being held at the Wyke Smugglers in memory of resident Mark Martin over the weekend of what would have been his 41st birthday.

Mark died aged 36, of glioblastoma multiforme – an aggressive cancer which starts in the brain – following a brave battle against the disease.

The festival will help to raise crucial funds for the charity Brain Tumour Support.

Mark’s friends have come together to organise the festival and hope to raise at least £2,000 for the cause.

Organiser Elaine Milton said the beer festival will be a ‘great event.’

She added: “There is a great variety of beer, a fantastic raffle and entertainment at the pub with music in the evening. We will make it a great day in Mark’s memory.

“Mark enjoyed his beer and he would have loved to be here to join in.”

Twelve casks and five kegs will be available to choose from, and brewers featured include Verdant, Wild Weather, Elusive Brewing, Odyssey, Tempest and Vibrant Forest as well as popular local brews from Cerne Abbas, Eight Arch and The Way Outback.

The festival will start at noon today and will finish when the pub closes at 1am. It will continue tomorrow at midday.

Tickets can still be purchased on the door for today’s event and cost £5, but tickets for Sunday have sold out.