With 16 days of beer drinking planned, Brits heading to Munich's annual Oktoberfest may be in dire need of friends to send them a parcel to Germany to help them stay the course.

Hotels in the city are in short supply as thousands descend on the Bavarian capital for the beer bonanza, making camping a popular option.

But accommodation is probably at the bottom of the agenda for most people heading to the festival, which runs from September 18th October 4th.

Tents and stalls filled with all kinds of beers and lagers served by local women in traditional beer keller get-up take over the city.

Entry to Oktoberfest is free, though by the time a day's worth of beer is paid for, the costs can soon mount up.

Visitors to this year's event are in for a special treat, with a one-off beer to be on offer to mark the 200th anniversary of Oktoberfest.

The brew is a full-flavoured malt that was standard in 1810, though it is of course made to modern hygiene standards and the Reinheitsgebot - the German beer purity law of 1516.