Weeping Window poppies and dragon boost castle visitors

A poppies display and a dragon boosted visitor figures to historical sites.

The Cadw Dragon spent the summer touring castles, and the body reported a 22% increase in family visitors.

Welsh Government figures showed more than 600,000 people explored Cadw sites between July and September - the highest ever recorded for that quarter - while the dragon was on display.

Meanwhile Caernarfon Castle welcomed nearly 40,000 visitors during its first fortnight of Poppies: Weeping Window.

The dragon visited castles in Flint, Caerphilly, Chepstow, Beaumaris, Rhuddlan, Kidwelly, Caernarfon and Harlech.

Lynne Evans, owner of Glanmors Cafe in Caerphilly, said: "The cafe was heaving during the last two weeks of July - we couldn't understand why we were so busy until we realised that the dragon was back at the castle.

"We had hundreds of family visitors, stretching from Caerphilly locals to people from further afield in Cardiff - it was absolutely tremendous to see the cafe so busy."

The dragon will reside at Raglan Castle until 12 November, while the poppies installation will be open to the public until 20 November.