THE sun shone brilliantly and the crowds flocked to Presteigne for its first Food and Flowers Festival on May Day bank holiday Monday.

“It was amazing. There were hundreds and hundreds of people and the car parks were rammed full. We just couldn’t have wished for a better day,” said Leon Abecassis, owner of the Salty Dog and chairman of festival organisers business partnership Connect.

“Everybody was overwhelmed and there was tremendous support from the community and we had visitors from as far away as Chester, Wolverhampton, and even London.

We will definitely repeat next year, it’s not a one-trick pony event. Te traders were all very happy with the amount of produce they sold and say they will definitely be back next year and if we can just get the weather right again we are looking to stick with the May Day bank holiday,” Mt Abecassis told the County Times and Gazette.

The day included food and plants stalls on the streets, cookery demonstrations, an art and photography exhibition, talks, workshops, and competitions, plus a variety of gardens open in the town and surroundings.

“The street food market at St.Andrew’s Church Hall courtyard was like a picnic in the park with people sitting around enjoying the sunshine and what was on offer.

“One of the open gardens had at least 350 people going in for tea and cakes with all the proceeds to St.Michael’s Hospice.

“The Ready Steady Cook competition at the Church Hall was Presteigne versus Norton with the Norton team of Mayor John Wilding and town councillor Deb Edwards winning for Norton by popular vote of the audience, beating Deputy Mayor Colin Kirkby and county councillor Beverley Baynham,” added Leon.

Tom Carter won the Photography competition senior section and Esme Carter won the junior.

A CROWDED street at Presteigne for the town’s first May Day Food and Flowers Festival on bank holiday Monday.

Picture by: ALEX RAMSAY.