A VILLAGE pub has been named as a county’s pub of the year.

The Pig and Abbott in Abington Piggots, near Bassingbourn, has been declared the winner of the competition run by the Huntingdonshire branch of the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA).

Mick and Pat Thompson, who have managed the High Street pub for a decade, collected the award last week.

“We’re overjoyed,” said Mick.

“It’s quite an honour, particularly as we’re only six miles from Royston but in the middle of nowhere!”

CAMRA members chose the pub after drawing up a shortlist and assessing a number of criteria - including real ale and food quality, community engagement and ambience - during several visits.

Andy Shaw, social secretary for CAMRA Huntingdonshire, said: “The quality of the ales there is absolutely exceptional. It’s been in the Good Beer Guide for years and years. It’s been very close to winning the award for many years but the competition is fierce.

“Every time I’ve been there I’ve been struck by the ambience and the relationship between the pub and the community it serves. It exudes that feeling of what a community pub is about.”