A PICKERING pub has come runner-up in the Yorkshire Pub of the Year competition.

The Sun Inn on Westgate is run by Robert and Sharon Allanson, who have run it as a free house since 2010.

A former Tetley's pub, it now serves Tetley's cask ale. It also serves 'Yorkshire Legend' from the local Helmsley brewers and four rotating guest ales, three of which are always from Yorkshire, as well as up to four traditional real ciders.

The contest, run by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), judges pubs on a number of categories, including quality of beer, atmosphere, welcome and friendliness of staff.

The Allansons were presented with a certificate and prize by Peter Goddard and Kevin Keaveny, CAMRA’s assistant regional director and director for Yorkshire.

Mr Allanson said: "You just go about your normal day and they send two or three people out to do the judging secretly.

"There's a lot of pubs out there, a lot of competition. It was a bit of a shock when we first heard. We couldn't believe it."

First place in the competition went to Kelham Island Tavern in Sheffield.

The Sun Inn, part of the Scarborough CAMRA group, has already been awarded that group's Rural Pub of the Year award five times in a row.