VISITORS to the historic town of Caerwent got a taste of what life was hundreds of years ago with a Roman re-enactment at the weekend.

Around 12 members of the Merthyr-based Chance Encounters paraded in the type of Roman costumes that were commonplace when the town was called Venta Silurum by the Romans.

An armourer, a doctor, a story teller, and a soldier were just some of the Roman occupations that were recreated for the day.

Hundreds of visitors turned out to see the various characters on a glorious day. Event organiser Hillary Counsell said: "It was a very good and successful day and we had a good turnout of people from outside Caerwent.

"With the fantastic weather we had it was one of the best afternoons we could have hoped for."

Mrs Counsell, from Five Lanes, said there were plans to stage another Roman re-enactment next year.

As part of the Roman theme, ramblers set out for a walk to Llan Mellin hill fort on Sunday and Dr Richard Baker of Cardiff University gave a lecture.

The weekend's events were funded by Monmouthshire county council who had been granted additional expenditure from the National Assembly to attract people to the countryside following the foot-and-mouth outbreak.