The competition to find the logo, which has been running for 17 years, was launched late last year, and the standard of entries meant it was hard to pick a winner.

Each design had to include a dragon and feature a maximum of five colours, and the entries were judged by members of Norwich & Norfolk Campaign For Real Ale, which runs the festival.

The winning logo will be used on all the festival's merchandise and, as usual, the runners-up will also be displayed during the event.

Graham James, a screen printer and father-of-one from Rocelin Close, off St Clements, Norwich, was picked as the winner with his design of a dragon in the form of a traditional hand pump.

Mr James was extremely surprised to hear the good news, delivered by Mark Stimpson, the competition co-ordinator, because he had only just refined his doodles in time to make the deadline in February.

He said: 'I'm really pleased to win. My design was inspired by Tony Hart's symmetrical drawings in the television programme 'Vision On'.'

He also won the logo competition in 2003 with his Toby jug design.

Martin Ward, festival organiser, said: 'Again the effort that the public put into their entries is amazing. It's always a tough decision but Graham's dragon stood out to us.'

Mr James will receive a winner's cheque for �100, as well as a selection of festival merchandise.

Mr Ward said that, although planning was at an early stage, they again aimed to provide an exceptional range of quality real ales and ciders from not only Norfolk, but other outstanding breweries around the country.

This year's beer festival runs from Monday, October 24 to Saturday, October 29 at its usual venue of St Andrews & Blackfriars Halls, Norwich. Last year's winning logo was of a dragon emerging from a pumpkin designed by Katy Mavillo, from Hellesdon.

The Evening News has been running our Love Your Local campaign to highlight what pubs offer and how they contribute to the community and has also supported local breweries and beer festivals.

For more stories about the Evening News' Love Your Local campaign visit www.eveningnews24.co.uk/loveyourlocal.

Have you got a pubs story for the Evening News' campaign? Call reporter David Bale on 01603 772427 or email david.bale2@archant.co.uk.

For further information about the festival, visit http://www.norwichcamra.org.uk/festival/fest2011.htm.