THE Spirit of Awen shop in Caerleon is decorated with a kaleidoscope of fabrics, ornaments, and gemstones. Folk music is playing softly, and the smell of incense wafts gently in the air.

This isn't the sort of place you'd normally find someone who ran for Parliament – but then shopkeeper Alun Evans wasn't your normal kind of Westminster candidate.

Mr Evans, also known as his political name Baron Von Magpie Bum, was the Monster Raving Loony Party's candidate for the Islwyn seat in the 2015 General Election.

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He had become involved in politics a few years earlier, when his Morris dancing group was invited to perform at the party's annual conference in Llandrindod Wells.

"One night I had far too many sherbets and said I'd join [the party] and stand for election next time around," he said.

Mr Evans embraced the spirit of the Loony Party – well known for its members' madcap, satirical political campaigns. He adapted his Morris dancing nickname to become the Baron - although he later had to drop the 'Bum' from his name to avoid controversy on the ballot paper.

When the 2015 election date was announced, Mr Evans realised he would have to follow through on his promise.

"I thought 'Oh my God, what have I done?', but I'm a man of my word and when I do things, I like to do them properly," he said.

As his campaign got under way, Mr Evans found he took to politics quite naturally. Though he refrained from canvassing on doorsteps, he managed to fit in an extensive leafleting campaign around his regular job. He also discovered a hidden talent for public speaking, and enjoyed taking part in hustings at Coleg Gwent's Crosskeys campus.

The public's reaction, he said, was overwhelmingly positive.

"I had a good reception – a lot of people said I'd do a better job than the 'loonies' who were in [parliament]," he said.

Then came polling day, and the official count at Newbridge Leisure Centre – "a fascinating experience", Mr Evans said.

In true Loony Party style, Mr Evans donned the Baron's Morris dancing outfit for the results, and his wife came dressed as a chicken.

Baron Von Magpie came in seventh place, with 213 votes – 0.6 per cent of the total cast.

"I always said that if I got 100 votes I'd be happy, and I doubled my expectations," he said.

One of those votes came from his mother, and Mr Evans said that was the highlight of the whole experience. He remembers the campaign fondly, and ended up standing again in 2017 for the Welsh Assembly election.

Is he tempted to run for MP again?

"I would stand again, but not this time – this one's far too important," he said.