A grand total of £12,784, raised during the Picton Castle floral art festival was handed over to three delighted charities today (Thursday).

A Floral Tale of Picton Castle ran for four days at the beginning of October. The biggest ever floral art exhibition in west Wales the event saw the castle brimming over with beautiful blooms, arranged into breathtaking displays by the six floral art societies in Pembrokeshire.

The event was the brain child of Cynthia Higgon, a tour guide at Picton Castle who came back from a similar event in Hereford Cathedral last year full of inspiration and enthusiasm.

The six floral art societies spent all summer raising money to buy over 5,000 flowers from Rijnsburg in in Holland. This meant that all proceeds from the event could be split between three causes close to Cynthia's heart: Breakthrough Breast Cancer; LATCH, which provides support to children with cancer and their families, and the Picton Castle Trust.

David Pryse Lloyd, receiving a cheque for £4,559 for the Picton Castle Trust said he was "absolutely thrilled".

"A lot of work went into it, the ladies put together wonderful flower arrangements and made the castle look lovely. It is so good to have raised so much for charity."

"Pembrokeshire created this," added Cynthia Higgons who received a £4112 on behalf of Breakthrough Breast Cancer.

"I really can't believe the amount we raised. All the floral arts societies in Pembrokeshire worked so hard. I hope they will never forget this event. It was very special."

Helen Gravelle travelled from Carmarthen to collect the £4112 for LATCH. She said she was extremely grateful and that the money would go a long way to make the lives of children with cancer, and their families, much easier.

"This is a fabulous amount that they've raised." she said. "I will never forget the event. It was absolutely stunning. The work that went into this was incredible."