Newcastle Brown drinkers are hailing the return of the word Ale on bottle labels after a four year break.

The word was removed from bottles in 2000 as part of a marketing strategy.

But it has been resurrected after it was realised dropping it made no difference to sales.

The word was taken out of labels on bottles of Newcastle Brown in the UK at the turn of the Millennium as part of a relaunch.

Scottish and Newcastle chiefs made the decision after they believed the word ale gave an old fashioned image.

Ale was reintroduced onto labels last month as part of a redesign to incorporate sensible drinking advice for the first time.

A brewery spokesman said didn't know how many customers had noticed the change. And despite the label change 400 million bottles of Newcastle Brown were sold in the fours, roughly the same as in previous years.