A NEW brew named after a Black Country boxing legend has been packing a punch at the Dudley Beer Festival.

Sadler's Brewery in Lye has named its newest ale Black Country Bodysnatcher after Dudley's Darren McDermott, former English middleweight champion.

Darren, known to his supporters as Macca, said he was "absolutely over the moon" to have been honoured with the one-off brew which was launched at the July 29 to 31 festival at Brierley Hill Civic Hall.

Profits generated from sales of the 4.3 per cent golden ale will be donated to Macca's gym Brooklands Amateur Boxing Club, which he's been running from his back garden since 2011 but which he's relocating to Mount Tabor Church, Woodsetton, to help train and inspire the next generation of borough boxers.

Darren, who has up to 60 aspiring boxers turning up to his classes, said: "Most people who followed my career know how it ended with great sadness but I would like to give back some of my knowledge that I picked up over the years and give chances to some of the great talent we have here in the Black Country boxing scene. All the proceeds from the beer will go to the gym, that's what it's about - raising a bit of money for Brooklands ABC. Fingers crossed it will be a good seller."

Ian King, sales director for Sadler's Brewery, said: "Darren's a great guy, doing quite an amazing thing for the community - as he doesn't get paid for it."

He said the promotional Black Country Bodysnatcher ale "packed a punch" at the three-day beer festival, which rounded off the month-long Black Country Festival, and he said it would continue to be sold at Sadler's outlets in Lye for the next few weeks to help raise funds for Macca's gym project.

He added: "We hope local people really get behind it and persuade their landlords to stock it."