PEOPLE from the Wye Valley have taken on starring roles in a TV series airing this week.

BBC2 Wales’ four-part documentary called Border Lives shines a light on the lives of those that inhabit the borderland between Chepstow and Montgomery.

From farmers to foragers and bikers to bowls players, the series tells the tales of the diverse folk who live, work and play in the area.

People and events in and around Chepstow took centre stage in Monday and Tuesday’s episodes, including footage of the Chepstow Castle Singing Club preparing for the 950th anniversary of the castle – with a poignant tribute to conductor and opera singer Karl Daymond, who died suddenly last year.

Dr Glyn Jones and his wife Jan are both members of the Chepstow group, one of the four open access community choirs known collectively as The Singing Club.

The couple, who run a B&B in the town, feature prominently in the series.

Tuesday’s episode was also set to focus on one of Glyn’s favourite events – the annual Apple Day staged at Chepstow Drill Hall, where dozens of locally-grown varieties are exhibited and visitors treated to demonstrations of apple pressing and cider making.

Glyn takes a keen interest in preserving local apple varieties and he and Jan were filmed picking apples at a farm in Undy run by their friends David and Brenda Buckley.

“Being part of the series was a wonderful and challenging experience,” he said. “Chepstow and the surrounding area has such a rich history and there’s so much to see and do here. I’m hoping the programme will put us firmly on the map.”

Mick Lewis, founder of the town’s Widders Morris Dancing group, was also due to feature in last night’s programme, with footage of the group performing at Apple Day and making their own cider.

Friday’s episode then turns the spotlight on two other members of The Widders, Alexandra and Stewart Dyer, who in one sequence are seen crossing the Severn Bridge with hundreds of fellow bikers on ‘Hogging the Bridge’ day.

International athlete Angela Jones, who runs wild swimming sessions at Symonds Yat, meanwhile features in Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday’s episodes with her dog Jack on a five-week adventure, swimming, kayaking and running through the Wye Valley.

Border Lives continues tonight (Wednesday) and Friday.

You can catch up with the broadcast programmes on iPlayer.