MORE than 1,500 people descended on Colwyn Bay for one of the biggest trade exhibitions the region has ever seen - and were met by a famous face.

Hundreds more arrived during the busy programme at the Huws Gray GIANT trade event, which included a guest appearance from rugby star Sam Warburton.

The former Wales and British Lions captain greeted fans at The Barn in Eirias Park on May 1 and posed for pictures with them.

Well over a thousand of the visitors who attended had registered in advance for the event which saw around 70 of the top names in construction and DIY set up stalls at the venue. Among them were the likes of Knauf, Bostik, Gorilla Glue, Ronseal and Makita.

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Dafydd Hughes, marketing manager at the leading independent builders’ merchants, says the turnout was even better than expected.

“We were completely overwhelmed by the response to the GIANT Trade Event, especially the number of people who registered in advance to be here,” he said.

“This really was a celebration of the industry, and it was heartening to see so much interest in the companies here today.

“For so many of the top names in DIY, construction and the trades to be under one roof is unheard of in this area so we are thrilled with how well it was received and look forward to holding another exhibition in the future.”

Visitors enjoyed free refreshments, games, giveaways, competitions and of course, the opportunity to meet Sam Warburton, who was busy signing rugby balls throughout the day.

The expo was also a platform for community organisations such as Ty Gobaith children’s hospice and radio station Heart FM to connect with the public, and everyone who walked through the doors received a product pack of DIY materials worth more than £20.

It comes after a phenomenal start to the year for Huws Gray, which has expanded to more than 100 sites and 1,800 staff, making them the largest independent builders’ merchants in the UK.

Marketing officer Chris Roberts said that after 18 months of planning, the positive results made it all worthwhile.

“We have had an amazing 2019 so far and are growing fast, so to be able to give something back to our customers and partners was important to the company,” said Chris.

“We would like to thank Sam Warburton for being here and of course all of our staff across the region – notably Colwyn Bay – who worked so hard to make this a success.”

For more on Huws Gray, visit www.huwsgray.co.uk or take a look at the Facebook page here: www.facebook.com/huwsgray