Floral fairy tales fill All Saints' Church

The annual church flower festival has become a "must" for those who not only appreciate beautiful flowers in artistic arrangements but cunning ways to tell a visual story.

The three-day Sidley event ends on Sunday with a 5.30pm festival Songs of Praise.

The All Saints' Flower Festival is the product of contributions from all sectors of church life, from pupils of All Saints' Church of England Primary School to the Vicar.

The Rev Trevor Buxton is a member of the Flower Arranging Group and always produces a stunning display.

High School student Anna Korth is a church server, chorister and Holy Kids Group member.

Jelly babies and other sweets decorated the witch's house in her Hansel And Gretel display with its white, red and pink floral theme in the church porch.

Ivy and red and white carnations were augmented by the children's own illustrations in All Saints' School's tribute to Puss In Boots.

Fund-raising committee and PCC member Ann Kingdon had blue and white carnations and alstromeria at the top of her Swan Lake arrangement with blue cornflowers and mauve thistles at lakeside level.

Clad in becoming check, the wolf lurked at the entrance to Little Red Riding Hood's grandmother's house in the display by Mothers' Union members Janet Upston and Marian Hickie. Both are Lay Ministers.

Water lilies "floated" on a fabric lake in the chancel as Mothers' Union member Sarah Newsome with mother-and-daughter team Karina Sargent and Ruby Crowhurst.created The Princess And The Golden Ball.

Karina chairs the schools governors. Ruby is in Year 5. Roses, gladioli, gypsophila, lilies and carnations formed their display.

Father Trevor's Snow White to the left of the Altar was a tall white display including delphiniums, carnations and alstromeria. At her feet were the Seven Dwarf arrangements with individual colour identities while the blood-red and black carnation and gypsophila Witch menaced near a bowl of apples.

Two of school administrative assistant Julie Stilwell's three hand-knitted Little Pigs were in the ruins of their home. The third smirked safely at his brick-built abode with the wolf on the roof.

Chorister, Flower Arranging Group and PCC member Pat Cooper is also a founder-member of the flower festival committee.

Her contribution this year was The Gingerbread Man, a creation in gazenias, alstromeria and gypsophila.

Chorister, Church Warden and festival committee member Sue Korth evoked The Snow Queen above the organ with the aid of Ellie Boxer's icy-mountain back-drop.

Icicles hung from decoratively-lit bare branches.

So high was the bed piled that only the hair was visible as cousins Jeanne Cratchley and Margaret Solo told the story of the Princess And The Pea aided by carnations, stocks, gazenias and lilies

Deputy Churchwarden and treasurer Suzanne Parrott had gift boxes and toys aplenty among the carnations, alstromeria and gypsophela of The Nutcracker.

There were no flowers '“ except the paper variety '“ in Jack And The Beanstalk by clients at Beeching Park day centre. But their papier mache stalk was as eye-catching in its way as the Sleeping Beauty four-poster and recumbent figure by Glyne Gap Faculty students from Bexhill College in their festival debut.

Wives' Fellowship chairman, PCC member and Lay Minister Carole Holman evoked Goldilocks And The Three Bears in roses, carnations, chrysanthemums and gypsophela.

Chrysanthemums and carnations flowed from boots and shoes and the cottage path was lined with petunias and impatiens in The Elves And The Shoemaker by Little Angels Playgroup.

The Lady Chapel altar was flanked by a floral cascade and a tower from which Rapunzel's tresses tumbled in a work by flower arranging group members Helen Bridger and Margaret Smart.

High School students Danni Graham and Phoebe and Jade Eldridge are all servers at All Saints and Holy Kids Group members.

Their Ugly Duckling peeked cheekily from their display at an elegant swan.

District nurse Ruth Eldridge's Little Match Girl was amid a sea of red and white roses.

The Billy Goats Gruff had a robust timber bridge over a deep gorge to negotiate in Angela Farley and Sue Lawrence's display. But they were cheered by bright sunflowers. Both ladies are Mothers' Union and PCC members and Angela is also parish secretary.

For their festival debut, Jan Nash and Mary Wakefield chose Cinderella.