A FLOWER festival near Micheldever has been given a boost by a peer of the realm.

Lord Northbrook is helping the East Stratton Festival of Flowers by sponsoring the unique new ‘Stratton Flower Pot.

The Lord, whose family used to live at Stratton Park, was in the village on Monday, June 13, to hand out some of the specially designed pots.

Designed by Terry Winters, a former East Stratton resident and finalist in the Daily Mail’s national gardens competition, the pots put an emphasis on flexibility and can be screwed to walls, hung on posts or stand free.

They are being produced by Whichford Pottery in Warwickshire which has produced pots for Kew Gardens and Hampton Court Palace.

The festival takes place from July 9-10 and will be opened by TV gardener Toby Buckland. It is part of East and West Stratton’s fundraising attempts to save the All Saints’ Church and some pots will be auctioned after the festival with proceeds going to the church.

For more information, please contact Charlie Goodall on charliegoodall@hotmail.co.uk or 01962 774380.