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Les be having you........

As Coronation Street's best known rogue, actor Bruce Jones has had to face up to some sticky situations. But even he had to admit this was a new one on him. The man better known as Battersby came face to face with about 25 portraits of himself in a phenomenally successful new art event.

For two days Sheffield's showpiece Botanical Gardens became a hotspot for artists and art lovers as the rejuvenated city treasure hosted Art in the Gardens, with colossal landscapes, scrap metal snails and the collection of portraits of ITV's famous face. They proved a bit of a surprise to many visitors. Bruce appeared almost shocked to see so many images of himself, even though he knew he was taking part in the celebrity portrait competition.

A variety of performing arts formed a backdrop to marquees featuring botanical art, children's art and "east-meets-west" floral art as well as a photographic showcase.

Anne Barron, one of the organisers, was bowled over. "The feedback we got from visitors was marvellous", she said.

"People were overheard phoning friends and telling them to get down. The buzz was incredible and the thing I picked up on was the quality of the artists there."

The inaugural event raised money for the Sheffield Botanical Gardens Trust and Sheffield Children's Hospital.

"It is a non-profit event. Because it was the first one there were high costs, but we hope to raise more for our charities next year."