MORRIS dancing is a tradition synonymous with real ale.

But one Abingdon dancer has given up all liquids except water for charity.

Steve Green, of Northcourt Road, has gone ‘H2only’ to raise money for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), despite Oxfordshire being a land-locked county.

And Mr Green, who runs a software development firm, also happens to be a pubs officer for the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA).

The father-of-two took up the task after he received an RNLI letter inviting him to join thousands of others taking a two-week dry spell for the charity.

He said: “Normally I ignore these things but I thought two weeks might do me some good, and as a bonus raise money for a worthy cause.

“Before last Tuesday I would start the day by drinking coffee as soon as I got out of bed and keep going until it was time for beer, then drink beer until bed.”

He said he drank at least a pint of beer a night, but on Morris dancing night would down up to five pints twice a week.

After setting himself a modest target of £100, Mr Green raised more than that in his first day.

Now he has £250, and is hoping to improve on that.

Oxford City Morris Dancer Neil Braggins said: “Morris dancing is definitely synonymous with real ale. Quite a lot of Morris dancers are also members of CAMRA, especially in Abingdon.

“It is rare to find a tee-total Morris dancer.”

Sponsor Mr Green at justgiving.com/steven-green-h2only

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