Hundreds of people saw the spectacular floral displays mounted at Llanfihangel Court Tudor manor house at the weekend, writes Lesley Flynn.

The displays were created by the talented members of Abergavenny Flower Arrangement Society and the manor house was lent to the charity, the Society for the Welfare of Horses and Ponies, by the owners David and Julia Johnson.

SWHP's chairman of fund-raising Sian Lloyd said: "They were fantastic hosts, allowing us to take over their beautiful home for a week."

As well as the three-day flower festival, the house was used for a one-woman show featuring Janet Perkins who brought 16 of Charles Dickens' female characters to life at a cheese and wine evening on the Saturday.

The festival was visited by large groups from other floral clubs in Porthcawl and evernside, Lydney, and other visitors came from as far afield as Llanelli, Bristol and the Vale of Glamorgan.

There was universal praise for the creative floral displays which included Linda Garratt's I Saw Three Ships, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer by Janet Davies, and the infant Jesus in Dawn Illman's Away in a Manger and See Amid the Winter Snow by Sylvia Evered among the favourites.

There was the Christmas Memory Tree which proved popular with visitors who were able to hang a card containing a message to a departed loved one, including pets that have passed away.