A prank by three paragliders ended up as something of a publicity coup for the Green Man Festival at Glanusk Estate last weekend.

Security guards immediately pounced on Alistair Andrews and his friends Oliver Fisher and Joe Dart when, much to the delight of festivalgoers, they made an unscheduled landing on the site on Saturday afternoon.

But following a chat with festival organisers they were invited to 'drop in' again the following day - this time towing promo banners and painted green from head to toe!

"We like paragliding in the area and have wanted to fly into the the Festival for the past few years - but the weather has to be suitable," explained Alistair.

"This year the weather was great so we started from Penallt Mawr. I landed by the main stage and one of the guys by the Green Man. The crowd whooped and cheered - but we were immediately surrounded by security guards.

"We knew it was a bit naughty and were expecting to be thrown out - but we were very polite and the guards and organisers asked us if, providing they gave us tickets, we would do it again on Sunday - this time wearing green face and body paint and towing banners and streamers publicising the event.

"It was a nice surprise and of course we said 'yes'.

"It all worked out fantastically. We even got to see Van Morrison performing - and the organisers have told us they might hire us officially for next year!"

Alistair, whose parents live in Llanvapley, is a Royal Navy search and rescue helicopter pilot based in Cornwall. Oliver, whose family live in Trellech, is a Flight Lieutenant based at RAF St Athan. They've been friends since they were seven and are both former pupils of Monmouth School. They got to know fellow paragliding enthusiast Joe, who's a carpenter living in Abergavenny, via Facebook.