A series of lunchtime concerts at a restored Pembrokeshire church has become an unlikely success story after the first two of six concerts attracted sellout audiences.

Income from the concerts is helping to pay for the display of a community designed and created tapestry at the church, St. Jerome’s in Llangwm, which was restored with the help of a lottery grant a year ago.

Before the restoration project St. Jerome’s, built in 1185, was damp with its priceless effigies showing advanced signs of deterioration.

The idea of the concerts is to pay the extra bills incurred by the tapestry display.

It’s also being supported by the sale of merchandise and group visits which include an illustrated talk on the fascinating history of the village which was founded by Flemish incomers in the 1100s.

Organiser Pam Hunt says it was unclear until the first concert how they would be received.

“We’d never done this sort of thing before. But we started off before Christmas with the early music group La Volta, plus mulled wine and mince pies, and to our delight people just kept coming through the door - so much so that we had to find extra chairs for them.

“It’s like throwing a party - you’re terrified that no-one will turn up - but now we keep thinking we could do with a bigger church!”.

The second concert in the series, by Cwm Cerwyn Ensembles, also proved hugely popular and again was a sellout.

The third concert on Sunday, January 28, will feature the much-admired Pembrokeshire-based guitarist John Rodge who’ll be playing his trademark mix of classical, folk, jazz and blues.

If you can’t wait, John can be found playing a number of his compositions on YouTube.

Tickets are priced at £5 (£3 for children) and are available online at www.heritagellangwm.org.uk/concerts, at Llangwm village shop, or from Pam Hunt on 01437 899966.

The concert is sponsored by Redkite Solicitors.

Given the popularity of the first two events, people are advised to book tickets when possible.