Powis Castle Country and Western Festival draws the crowds, y'all

Hundreds of people dressed up in their finest cowboy gear for an annual Country and Western Festival.

Music fans from across the country flocked to Powis Castle in Welshpool for the festival, which took place over three days from Friday to yesterday. Organisers said today that the event was a great success despite the weather. The event kicked off on Friday night with a talent show.

Saturday saw a morning disco, followed by acts, including Cajun Moon and the Weston Line.

Yesterday then saw a range of acts and the talent show winners from Friday night also took to the stage, before a finale from The Trilogy, who performed to close the event.

All proceeds from the event, which has been held for the past 23 years, will go to the Heulwen Trust.

The trust provides narrowboat trips on the Montgomery Canal at Welshpool for disabled people and those suffering seriously illness.

David Corfield, the trust's chairman, said that the charity relied on the festival each year to provide the major part of its funds because they were unable to get grants to help with their work.

"We usually raise between £4,000 and £5,000 from the festival," Mr Corfield added.

He said that this year's figure was still not confirmed but said that he had been pleased with the attendance at the event despite the weather.

He said there had been 40 trade stands at this year's event, with seven of them being new traders to the festival.

The Heulwen Trust runs two narrowboats on the Montgomery Canal giving pleasure to groups of people from as far afield as Liverpool and Stoke-on-Trent as well as from Mid Wales, Shropshire and the Midlands.

Mr Corfield said that a new feature at this year's event had included canal boat rides to show festival-goers what the money raised by the event goes towards.