NESTLED in the shadows of Oxfordshire's most impressive promontories - Wittenham Clumps - artists and craftsmen have been showing off their creations.

The Clumps Orchard Group, artists from Little Wittenham, near Didcot, displayed their work as part of Oxfordshire Artweeks, which runs until Monday, May 29 and features about 1,000 artists at 470 venues.

At the same time, a short distance away in Long Wittenham, carpenters and craftsmen at forestry charity the Sylva Foundation, demonstrated their skills and sold their products.

The foundation hopes to link carpenters and furniture shops with landowners and conservation groups to make the best use of every woodland, copse and tree.

The organisation owns 20 acres of land and has converted a series of old farm buildings for 14 businesses.

The charity has worked with a host of other environmental groups from across Oxfordshire, and takes a lead role because of its expertise in trees.

Furniture maker Neil Scott, 36, who lives with wife Keyah in Long Wittenham, works at the Sylva Foundation creating bespoke dining tables and coffee tables.

For his work he uses local timbers, exotic woods, glass and resins.

Mr Scott, originally from South Africa, said: "I was in London for about 15 years and then I came to Long Wittenham and the Sylva Foundation about two years ago,

"It was great to meet visitors during Artweeks and I got some inquiries about my coffee tables - I have also got some big commissions in the pipeline.

"It's not a visitor centre here so it's good to be able to show the public what we do in Artweeks - it's a good opportunity and we will do the same for Artweeks at Christmas."

Sylva Foundation chief executive Gabriel Hemery said: "As a national charity we do quite a lot of work helping people to manage their woodlands.

"We have had this site at Long Wittenham at the Wood Centre for the past three years.

"We were very pleased with the response during Artweeks - we had well over 1,000 visitors.

"The farm buildings were in various states of disrepair but after they were converted 14 businesses moved in - we want to foster new businesses and create a pool of demand for their products."

Artists and businesses from South Oxfordshire were the first artists in the county to show off their work, from Saturday, May 6 until Sunday.