A POPULAR Ulverston brewery is celebrating a decade in business with the launch of a special new beer for each season.

The Ulverston Brewing Company has been conjuring up award-winning ales since 2006.

Now, to mark its first ten successful years, owners Paul Swann and Anita Garnett have devised four new recipes set to be released over the course of 2016.

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The first, the spring-inspired Call of the Cuckoo, is already on sale, while the summer's Perfect Day will be launched next month.

These two pale beers will be followed by the darker, but low strength, Forever Autumn, and finally the rich, spicier winter beer; Santa's Blotto, for the festive season.

Mr Swann, 55, said he had come up with the idea of a series of tenth birthday beers so they could be released with each new season this year and into the future.

"I suppose the obvious thing to do would be to release one beer for the tenth year.

"But we decided to do one for each season so they can be released again on a cycle next year.

"The first one has been very popular so far, we've had some really good feedback."

Mr Swann dreamed of launched a microbrewery as he walked home through Ulverston one night while the town was busy with fans celebrating what would have been the 100th birthday of Stan Laurel.

Some six years later, the Ulverston Brewing Company was launched in the winding shed of the old iron ore works at Lindal - with most of the beers baring names associated with Laurel and Hardy.

In 2010, the business expanded - with the couple relocating their brewery to the Old Auction Mart, in Ulverston.

Now its beers are served in pubs, bars and at events for miles around, with Mr Swann and Ms Garnett, 55, also supplying customers as far afield as Glasgow and North Wales.

Mr Swann described brewing as his passion, adding he was delighted to have been able to produce a popular range of beers.

"The original plan was to supply local pubs but it wasn't long before word got out and we were supplying pubs further afield," he said.

"Everyone is put on this planet to do something and I like to think I'm here to make beer."