A celebrity guest opened a retirement community development.

Romsey retirees welcomed TV celebrity, Charlie Dimmock, to the official opening of McCarthy Stone's Glebe Court on Abbotswood Common Road.

Famed for her role in the BBC’s popular Garden Rescue, Charlie led the celebrations, delighting her spectators with an exclusive demonstration on how to create the perfect potted plant display.

Following the display, Charlie undertook the ceremonial ribbon-cutting and officially declared the development open.

Guests at the event were able to get to know Charlie during a Q&A session, held in the communal lounge over a glass of fizz and light refreshments.

They were then treated to a guided tour of Glebe Court’s facilities.

In response to the occasion, Charlie said: "I was delighted to be invited to Glebe Court for the opening.

"It was so wonderful to meet with all the new homeowners and their guests and to be a part of the celebrations here in Romsey."

Nicki Beswarick, divisional marketing manager at McCarthy Stone, said: "The official opening was a fantastic occasion and our guests thoroughly enjoyed meeting Charlie and learning more about her illustrious career.

"On behalf of the team and our homeowners, we’d like to say a huge thank you to Charlie for making it such a memorable experience."

Glebe Court offers 36 one and two-bedroom luxury retirement apartments that cater for the over 60s, in addition to spacious communal areas and landscaped gardens.

For the comfort of owners and their families, a house manager is on-site during office hours to oversee day-to-day operations and there is a 24-hour emergency call system along with door camera entry.

Prospective residents can purchase apartments at Glebe Court starting from £250,000 for a one-bedroom property and £395,000 for a two-bedroom property.

McCarthy Stone has earned Five Star status for customer satisfaction from the Home Builders Federation every year it has entered.

For anyone who is interested in Retirement Living at Glebe Court, please call 0800 153 3076 or visit the McCarthy Stone website.