Stars come out for Ludlow Festival

Only Fools and Horses star John Challis will share stories from his acting career tonight as part of Ludlow Festival.

Mr Challis, known for his role as Boycie in the hit BBC series, will talk at Ludlow Brewery with writer Peter Burden about his career and will also read extracts from his autobiography Being Boycie. The free event will also include a question and answer session.

It comes after broadcaster and writer Mavis Nicholson shared forgotten tales of women in the Second World War as recorded in her book 'What Did You Do In The War Mummy?'.

Her 35-minute talk at Ludlow Assembly Rooms on Wednesday night included the story of Odette Hallows a British spy who was captured and tortured by the Nazis and kept in solitary confinement for two years.

Mrs Nicholson was visibly moved when she learned from the audience that Mary Fedden, one of the women she interviewed for her book, had died in the past couple of weeks. She also spoke about problems women suffered proving themselves as being worthy of working in munitions factories and on farms and how they were never regarded as heroes.

After the talk Mrs Nicholson signed copies of her book for members of the 40-strong audience and introduced the 1946 film A Matter Of Life And Death.

The two-week festival will end with a concert and fireworks display in Ludlow Castle on Sunday.