A FLOWER festival bought splashes of colour to the normally pretty austere interior of a medieval Hampshire almshouse.

The Hospital of St Cross on the edge of Winchester has been hosting the Festival of Flowers to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee and the 60th anniversary of the Winchester Floral Design Society.

The Norman church and other buildings, including the Brethren’s Hall and the Kitchen, have been given over to the floral displays created by about 25 society members. It includes the striking display on a theme of remembrance by Maggie Attfield in the Memorial Chapel.

Society chairman Trish Spiers said: “The flowers are so much in sympathy with the buildings. They enhance and don’t supercede the architecture. We have used local garden plat s rather than exotic ones.

“The festival has been going pretty well and we have had some lovely comments.”

It is the second time the festival has been held, the first one was five years ago.

Children from St faith’s primary school and the Sunday school also created displays.

Proceeds from the four-day festival will go to the hospital’s Tower Fund.

Next year a flower festival will be held in Winchester cathedral, the first for ten years.