GIN lovers are in heaven as a 17-day festival devoted to their favourite tipple gets under way.

The Wetherspoon’s Gin Festival takes place in four pubs across Brighton and Hove.

It starts today and runs until Sunday, September 1.

To have a chance of trying some exclusive, and limited, gins you will need to visit to one of the Wetherspoon pubs taking part.

They are The Bright Helm, in West Street; The Post and Telegraph, in North Street; The West Quay in Brighton Marina and The Cliftonville Inn, in George Street, Hove.

The festival will include gins from Sweden, America and Moldova as well as across the UK.

The overseas gins are Aviation Gin (USA), Tower Bridge London Dry Gin (Moldova), Ceders Crisp (Sweden).

Among the UK gins are The Lakes Rhubarb and Rosehip Gin Liqueur, Jawbox Pineapple and Ginger Gin Liqueur, Zymurgorium FlaGingo Pink Gin and Sipsmith Gin Strawberries and Cream.

There will be a number of flavoured gins on offer for those who are feeling a bit more adventurous.

Flavours include pineapple and mango, cucumber, peach and hibiscus, rhubarb and rosehip, and lemon and jasmine.

The Post and Telegraph manager Matthew Scott said: “We have sourced an excellent range of gins which have not previously been available in the pub.

“We are confident that our customers will enjoy trying the different gins which each have their own unique appeal.”

The gins will range in price from £2.95 to £3.95, for a single measure and include a free mixer.

Tasting notes on all the gins will be available in the pubs.

For those not taking part in the festival, each pub will be serving its regular range of gins.

The festival is ticketless and all you need to do to take part is go into one of the four Wetherspoon venues listed and order one of the limited time only gins.

For more information visit www.jdwetherspoon.com and search “gin festival”.