AN incredible legacy left by an Evesham farmer has been celebrated in Worcester Cathedral at a thanksgiving service.

The event was held to mark 300 years since the will of John Martin established one of the UK's most successful charities, which now distributes £700,000 to charities in Evesham as defined by the will.

At the celebration on Wednesday, July 2, children from many Evesham schools gathered to mark the anniversary and they were joined by the mayor of Evesham, councillor Charlie Homer, who praised the event.

He said: "I thought it was great. There were children from the majority of schools from around the Vale, even the choir was from Evesham High School and Prince Henry's.

"I enjoyed the poem by John Raphael, who performed dressed as John Martin. I thought that was brilliant."

To mark the event in Evesham, where Mr Martin left his 92 acre farm in his will, a new flower bed outside the Almonry Museum has been planted.