The event was organised by Jeannie Stiles who is a member of the Bexhill and Little Common Macmillan Support committee.

She said: "I have always supported Macmillan. My brother died on his 60th birthday from cancer. This is such a good cause because they do a lot of good work.

"We try to do several things throughout the year and this is one of them, but recently we had a Murder Mystery up at Freezeland Farm, thanks to Margaret Van Draat - we are so lucky that local people support us like that.

"Macmillan now does much more than just provide nurses - for instance, we are supporting the head and neck cancer nurse at the Conquest Hospital at the moment."

Jeannie's own garden in Cranston Avenue was open to the public and was an idyllic resting place for those in need of cake, cup of tea and a sit-down.

She helps husband Peter with the work and they have created a calm, colourful and perfect English garden around a central large Weeping Ash.

A tempting array of cakes, scones, sponges and slices was on display - the work of Vi Curtis of Little Common WI, with Rosemary Dennes and Gwen Goodwin of Sidley WI - also know as The Cake Ladies.

Fellow Cranston Avenue residents Rita and Barry Wright also opened their garden to the public, and to raise funds held a sale of clothes, books and jigsaw puzzles.

Their lawn surrounded by borders blooming with colour was another haven of peace although Rita played down her achievement.

Wendy Hayes, who lives opposite, said: "Everybody who comes here leaves saying what a beautiful garden it is. They all remark on it - and it is beautiful."

Pat Crouch has been gardening at her home in Barnhorn Road for 20 years and has created many different moods and areas for visitors to experience.

The garden is full of quirky detail and humour unique to Pat - she has a stile, a folly, a Bob Flowerdew, and a well, not to mention 60 types of clematis and 40 varieties of hardy geraniums, and a collection of grasses.