CHEPSTOW Racecourse hosted its own special Easter event on Monday.

It put on its own Easter Family Funday and entertainment at the racecourse included a Panic Circus, a reptile pen, an Easter petting zoo, a balloon modeller, donkey rides, face painters and human statues, along with eight horse races.

The executive director of the racecourse, Phil Bell, said he is now hopeful there will be a race meeting there every Easter Monday for the next few years.

He said: “We had about 5,000 people here, and 1,000 children, which was encouraging for the future. We had lots for the children here and all the entertainment was free.

“A lot of people who came here didn’t see a horse, they just went on the bouncy castle.”

As part of the festivities, 1,000 T-shirts with the South Wales Argus and Chepstow Racecourse logos were given away.

And staff and children from St Mary’s School in Chepstow also had a stall to raise money for a charity appeal.

There will be another Family Funday at the racecourse on the August Bank Holiday, August 25.

Meanwhile, about 800 people enjoyed the festivities put on at Raglan Castle, which ranged from Easter egg hunts to archery trials and a full scale battle re-enactment.

And an Easter Medieval experience was held at Caldicot Castle over the weekend.

Any visitors this week can get free entrance to the courtyard from Wednesday until Friday from 11am until 3.30pm but the castle is closed so its cafe, bar and other indoor areas can be refurbished.