CALDICOT Musical Theatre Society's summer show got off to a good start in the evening sunshine at Caldicot Castle on Saturday night.

A large audience enjoyed the antics of Toad, Ratty, Mole and the others in the production of Wind in the Willows.

As well as a range of animals, the production also features a golf buggy – in which Toad, played by the excellent Charlie Edmunds, careers around the castle – and a genuine gipsy caravan.

The show also features outstanding performances by Owen Hughes as Ratty, Liam Richards as Mole, Glyn Harrison as Badger and Oliver Skinner as Chief Weasel.

The yellow and green gipsy caravan which features in the first part of the show was provided by Mr Ken Lee and many members of the audience took the opportunity to have a closer look in the interval

The caravan was built in the early 20th century and restored by Mr Lee and his brother-in-law Mr Melvyn Bryant.

Mr Lee, who runs a wrought iron business on the nearby Severnbridge industrial estate, said it came from Somerset.

He added: "A family of five gipsies lived in it – the mother and daughter in the beds, the father on the floor and two sons underneath.

"It took my brother-in-law 12 weeks to complete and he was working 10 hours a day five days a week."

There were two performances at Caldicot Castle over the weekend and the production moves to the Old Station, Tintern for the final show next Monday (August 27).