GLASSES have been raised at a village inn that has been named the first winner of a recently launched rural pub of the month award.The 15th Century Queen's Head pub in Hawkedon, near Bury St Edmunds, is celebrating being named rural pub of the month by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA).

GLASSES have been raised at a village inn that has been named the first winner of a recently launched rural pub of the month award.

The 15th Century Queen's Head pub in Hawkedon, near Bury St Edmunds, is celebrating being named rural pub of the month by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA).

CAMRA recently launched the Rural Pub of the Month scheme to highlight the valuable role village pubs play in their communities.

The organisation has campaigned against the closure of many rural pubs and has launched the award scheme to raise awareness of the county's pubs that are worth a trip into the countryside to visit.

The West Suffolk branch of CAMRA named the Queen's Head as the winner due to its warm welcome and its commitment to real and local ales.

The pub serves up to six real ales, many of them from small local breweries. Recent visitors enjoyed celebrating the Rugby World Cup with a 'Sweet Chariot' beer brewed by Nethergate's Brewery in Clare.

Landlord Scott Chapman said: "We are delighted to have won the award, it reflects the effort ourselves, the staff and customers have put in over recent months.

"Atmosphere is always very important and our open fires and oak beams must have impressed the judges. It is important to promote rural pubs, there are not many facilities left in villages, so pubs are becoming the hub of the community."

The pub is celebrating its success todayby holding a real ale evening, featuring beers from Adnams, Archers, Coors, Greene King, Mauldon's and Nethergate breweries, all at just £1.75 per pint.

Meanwhile, the pub may soon become even more vital to the community. The village sub-post office is soon closing and Mr Chapman is hoping to convert an outbuilding at the front of a pub to provide a new post office. Negotiations are ongoing with Post Office representatives and plans have now been lodge at St Edmundsbury Borough Council.

"We are in the process of trying to get permission to convert the outbuilding to provide a new post office. We hope we can do this so we can keep services in the village," added Mr Chapman.