A SPECIAL jam night held in memory of a popular Chepstow landlady who died in March after battling cancer raised more than £2,300.

Alison Beasley, who ran The White Lion/Pye Corner in the town, grew up in Bulwark and attended Chepstow School.

In her last few weeks she was cared for by St David’s Hospice and the Electric Landlady Big Jam Night was held in celebration and to raise money for the charity, one strand of fundraising co-ordinated by friends to celebrate Ms Beasley’s life.

Tracey Warnock, the manager of Pye Corner where the night was held, said: “It was a blast. We had such an amazing night. (Ms Beasley) was all about the community and being together and working together. And her heart was music.”

And she said Ms Beasley quickly became a good friend when she started working at the pub six years ago.

People who attended were asked for a £3 donation on the door and raffle tickets were sold for prizes which had been donated from businesses around the town.

Artists who played included Stoo Harris, Terry Theobald with Stoney Broke, Isobel Brown with Twysted River and Super Gaz.

Caldicot tattoo artist Daniel Grimes also took his equipment along and 10 people were inked for charity. He also played some songs on the night.

He said: “We flipped it on its head to celebrate it. Everyone got together. You couldn’t have had a finer tribute.”

As part of her working life in the town, Ms Beasley also managed The King’s Head, The Five Alls and The Three Tuns with her brother Gerv Durran.

A keen music fan, friends will launch a tribute album to her at the Severn Bridge Social Club in Bulwark on December 5.

It has been produced by Ms Beasley’s friend Paul Hobday. The idea for the record came about when they were both receiving cancer treatment at Newport's Royal Gwent Hospital. They planned to complete it together once they had both recovered.

A number of Chepstow artists have contributed their own songs to the record, including Helen Child Villiers and Terry Theobald.