Colby Woodland Gardens was the setting last Saturday for Amroth Community Carnival's first Midsummer Ball.

When thunder roared at four o'clock, there were a few worried brows, but not to worry, as the thunder faded away, the sun reappeared and it turned out to be a perfect midsummer evening.

The turreted marquee looked resplendent in its picturesque setting - and many people discovered the wonders of Colby Woodland Gardens for the first time.

Over 300 people danced the night away to the sounds of the Mo Jo Soul Band and Plastic Sam Disco, from Swansea. It seemed all too soon that the music stopped and the arrival of taxis was announced.

An enjoyable evening was had and a considerable amount of money was raised for the Air Ambulance. Both the auction and the raffle raised over £1,000 each and a cheque in excess of £3,000 will be presented to the Air Ambulance in the very near future.

Auction prizes were: Framed signed Welsh rugby shirt (donated by Roger Harries, Amroth Arms, part of the cost of the framing was donated by the Hayloft in Narberth); Framed limited edition print (Graham Hadlow); Dinner, bed and breakfast (Penally Abbey); Two one-day's clay pigeon shooting with instruction and lunch (Rob Phillips, Telpyn); Boat trip on the Cleddau with a Champagne lunch for four (Sailing for the Disabled, Sea Legs and Roger and Jane Harries).

A special thank you to Kevin Jones, who was auctioneer for the evening.

The main prize in the raffle was a £250 travel voucher (donated by Ocky White Travel).

The committee are grateful to all those individuals and businesses locally who supported the event by donating prizes for the raffle; also the sponsors, Castell Howell, Coors Brewery, Computech, James Williams, Narberth, Pembrokeshire Frozen Foods, Felinfoel Brewery and Princes Gate Water.

They are particularly grateful to the National Trust and Mr. and Mrs. Scourfield-Lewis for allowing them to use Colby Woodland Gardens - there couldn't have been a more perfect setting to have held a midsummer ball. The weather was good and people had one of those rare opportunities to 'dress up'.

We are a long way from Ascot and Wimbledon, but maybe the month of June will also become synonymous with Amroth and Colby and the midsummer ball could become our social event of the year.