CLOTHES and chocolate have helped raise around £1,000 towards the costs of hosting the Three Choirs Festival in Worcester this summer.

The Spring Fashion show was held at Worcester Cricket Club's New Road ground and featured a lunch as well as the new season collection from twentyfive boutique, in Friar Street.

Janette Rowlatt, who runs Chocolate Gourmet, with shops in Ludlow and Shrewsbury, also gave a talk about the delights of chocolate at the event on Wednesday, March 26.

Becky Sutcliffe, who runs 25 Boutique, said: "We had a lunch, did a fashion show with the new collection from my shop.

"Then Janette did a very entertaining talk about the difference between white chocolate, milk chocolate and dark chocolate.

"It was a nice combination of clothes and chocolate. What more could a girl want?"

Around 75 people attended the Three Choirs Festival fundraiser.

Cecelia Denlegh-Maxwell, chairman of the Friends of Three Choirs Festival, said: "It was a wonderful event and we think raised about £1,000 towards the festival which will run from Saturday, July 26 to Saturday, August 2.

"We've been fundraising for two years."

Money for the festival has been raised through a host of events including a Grand Viennese ball at Worcester Cathedral and a private view at the RHS Malvern Spring Festival at the Three Counties Showground.

A fundraising polo day in Cirencester is also planned for June.

The three Cathedral cities, Worcester, Gloucester and Hereford, take it in turns to host the Three Choirs Festival which is one of the world's oldest classical choral music festivals.