AN unusual and striking exhibition at Coombe Sculpture Garden in Bradstone this month will be helping to raise money for charity.

People who have visited the garden over the last four years will be familiar with the sculptures of Paul Vanstone.

His work is exhibited in a number of sculpture gardens and galleries throughout the UK and this year the sculptures will also be on show on stand WA9 at the Chelsea Flower Show.

The garden is open to the public again this year for two weekends in May 12/13 and 19/20 — raising money to create a new arboretum, planting native British trees at Coombe.

In June it will only open on June 17, when a special Fathers' Day menu will be available. The money from the June opening will go to a local village charity.

In previous years Paul's sculptures have been sold to collectors around the world, including Northern Australia, Majorca, France, Mustique, Italy and to many gardens and houses in the UK and Ireland.

In the last few weeks a large sculpture was installed in a re-development of the old Russian embassy in Bonn, Germany.

More than £14,000 has been raised from admission charges and the sale of refreshments. The major beneficiary has been the Children's Hospice South West with the National Garden Scheme and Dunterton Church also receiving significant contributions.

Paul's sculptures will also be on exhibition at Coombe Trenchard's Sculpture Trail at Lewdown.