AN artist and businesswoman will be seen battling it out on national television this Thursday (December 20) after making the Christmas final of a popular craft show.

Lydney’s Rachel Shilston pipped hundreds of other applicants to make the last four on Kirstie’s Handmade Christmas, presented on Channel 4 by craft-lover Kirstie Allsop.

And the mother-of-two will be seen going head-to-head to be crowned ‘best Christmas wreath’ maker.

Rachel said filming took place in a beautiful secret location in the heart of the Devonshire countryside, where she and her fellow contestants had six hours to create their competition entries.

“I couldn’t believe it when I had the call to say that I’d been selected,” she added. “I watch the show every year and often thought it would be lovely to share my festive craft ideas with Kirstie.

“It was an amazing experience and something I’m so proud to be part of.”

Rachel has run her Inspiring Creativity business for eight years at her colourful studio at Hanley Farm, Tidenham.

She is best known for the “eye-catching” mosaic artwork she creates with schools and businesses nationwide, and for her involvement in public art trails, including ‘Shaun in the City’ in London, where her ’Baa-Bushka’ Shaun the Sheep sculpture was placed outside the iconic department store ‘Liberty’ on Carnaby Street.

Other trails she has contributed to include ‘Paignton by Numbers’ for the Great Big Rhino Project in Paignton, ‘Potter Otter’ for the Moor Otters on Dartmoor and ‘Teacher’s Pest’ for the Gromit Unleashed 2 trail in Bristol.

She also painted a pair of ‘super wellies’ for Lydney Paralympic gold medallist Andy Lewis depicting him at Rio 2016.

To find out how she got on in Kirstie’s Handmade Christmas, tune in to Channel 4 at 5pm tomorrow (Thursday).

For more information about Rachel, take a look at her website at www.rachelshilston.co.uk or go to her Twitter, Facebook and Instagram pages.