The Railway Arms pub in Saffron Walden has been named the North West Essex CAMRA Pub of the Year.

The accolade comes as the pub celebrates its first anniversary of reopening as a community-owned pub, on Saturday (April 16). The celebrations will include live music in the evening.

The latest CAMRA accolade is hot on the heels of being named runner up in the National Pub Saving Award scheme and entry in The Good Beer Guide 2022.

Graham Pearson, the pub's landlord, said: "For the community and staff to have been recognised for first saving the pub from development and now for turning it into one of the best pubs in the county is brilliant."

The CAMRA Pub of the Year competition has county and regional awards, leading to National Pub of the Year.

Graham said they were already seeing CAMRA members visiting to score them in the Essex competition.

Ian Fitzhenry, Chair of CAMRA North West Essex said: "Since reopening exactly a year ago, following the successful community campaign to buy and reopen the pub, the Railway Arms has gone from strength to strength, serving a consistently excellent range of quality real ales sourced from breweries in Essex, Cambridgeshire and Herts together with a selection of locally produced ciders.

"We are delighted to recognise the achievements of the STRAP committee and manager Graham Pearson with the accolade of Pub of the Year."