A unique Ceredigion anime festival has been hailed a success and it will see a similar event return to the county, organisers have said.

Abercon, an anime festival which was the idea of Bethan Kench who is an anime fan and has attended several conventions and festivals, was held at Aberystwyth’s Arts Centre on Saturday, 23 March, with a range of activities and screenings of films.

Bethan, from Llandyfriog, said she was keen to see a convention in Ceredigion after wondering why she was having to travel to similar events across the UK and, with support from Mencap Ceredigion and Rhowan Alleyne, of the WOW Film Festival, helped organise the event.

Jan Kench, the chair of Mencap Ceredigion, said the event, which Ceredigion MP Ben Lake attended, had been a great success and she expected it to be the first of many.

She said: “It proved that this should be the first of many, many years of anime conventions.

“Ben Lake spent a lot of time talking to members of Mencap Ceredigion and members of the public that had come to the event, as well as speaking to the traders and the workshop facilitators.

"All in all, he was amazed at the event and could see a bright future for it.

“He thought that this would also bring much-needed business to the town, which he felt was important and was keen to work with us in the future.”

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