VISITORS to Austwick's annual cuckoo festival this weekend will be greeted with a blaze of colour, not least from the home of Iris Malkinson.

The driveway and front of Chapel House, situated just off the green, will be wall-to-wall-flowers, all grown by Mrs Malkinson with the proceeds going towards Airedale Hospital's Ward Three.

Mrs Malkinson has been putting her green-fingered skill to good use for the past six years, initially supporting St James' Hospital in Leeds (Jimmy's) and Skipton General.

Her connections with the two hospitals are both happy and sad.

Around six years ago her husband Rob took a fall and broke his neck. He was treated at various hospitals which all gave a grim prognosis, but it was Skipton General which got him walking again and Mrs Malkinson wanted to repay the rehabilitation unit for the kindness shown.

At the same time her husband was recovering from his fall, their elder daughter Carol was in St James' suffering from cancer.

When Carol died, Mrs Malkinson decided to support Airedale General Hospital and over the past few years has raised more than £7,000 through the sale of her plants, as well as car boot sales. She also makes a variety of jams which are bought almost before they have had chance to cool.

Sadly, Mr Malkinson became ill and died in February this year and his wife continues to raise money for Ward Three in his memory.

"I have always loved flowers although my interest grew when we took over my family's shop, Sandersons, in Settle Market Place in 1980," she explained.

"We sold all sorts of household things as well as a variety of plants. They were hard work because they had to be brought in and out each day, but I loved looking after them.

"Now I grow them at home and have them all over the place. People come from all over to buy them. Walkers who see them often come back to buy them and many local villagers get them from me."

As well as bedding plants, Mrs Malkinson grows a range of herbaceous perennials and alpines which are displayed at her front door.

In the past she has also donated money to children's cancer charity Candlelighters.

In addition, more than £1,000 was collected at Mr Malkinson's funeral and half was donated to the Injured Jockey's Fund, as her husband was a keen horse race follower and had a part share in a racehorse.

"Cartmell Races was the highlight of his year. He loved it. He'd have gone every day if he could," said Mrs Malkinson.

She fits in growing her plants with part-time work at the New Inn in Clapham, but has no plans to give up in the near future.

"I am always busy, but I enjoy it," said Mrs Malkinson who has a son, James, and another daughter Sarah. "I'd be fed up if I didn't always have something to do."