THE organiser of an art exhibition criticised by some locals for displaying 'pornography' in a rural village hall has vowed to carry on showing life drawings.

Glasbury annual art exhibition which took place last week was boycotted by a local church coffee group after some of its members were left 'disgusted' by the 12 life drawings on display.

"Basically I came out of the hall and somebody accosted me," said exhibition organiser John Fitzgerald.

"I didn't know their name but I was given a tirade of abuse. The woman was talking about how disgusted she was that we were showing pornography in the village hall. I asked her whether she had seen it and she said no because it was so disgusting.

"In a small community things go around fast and some people make these accusations with no facts and then disappear once they are challenged.

"We're communicating with the church who are supporting us to sort this nonsense out."

A life drawing group from Clyro were displaying 12 paintings at the nine days long exhibition which Mr Fitzgerald described as 'tasteful and beautiful'.

He added: "Nothing that can be described as pornography was on display and it's not the first time we have had these as part of the exhibition.

"We have one exhibition a year which sometimes has life drawings and sometimes doesn't. Next year we are having a celebration of glass and ceramics so I don't think there will be anything to offend anybody.

"I thought we were living in the 21st century but now I'm not so sure now. It won't stop further life drawing exhibitions as it is part of art.

"People who do life drawings are producing nudes as that's what they are. These days the subject of most life drawing groups are not young models and they are far more likely to be elderly people whose bodies aren't erotic.

"Some models are in their 70s and porn it isn’t."