A Hitchin flower and wedding dress festival has raised more than £10,000, with half the money set to help impoverished youngsters in Malawi.

The organisers of Flowers & Wedding Dresses Through the Ages, which was held at St Mary’s Church in June, have announced a total of £10,400, to be split equally between St Mary’s and the Philip Veale Children’s Centre in Malawi – where 170 children are cared for, fed, clothed and educated, and 24 orphans have their home.

Margaret Khinmaung – who ran the event alongside Lois Veale and Anne Senechal – said: “It was a mammoth task to undertake, but it culminated in a truly wonderful weekend. More than 1,200 people came.

“There are far too many people to thank individually – you know who you are – but without you it would not have been the huge success it was.

“Thanks also to everybody that came to support us.”