Thousands flocked to the National Exhibition Centre for the return of the BBC Summer Festival and to gain a glimpse of The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian star Ben Barnes.

The lead actor made an appearance at the festival’s Gardeners’ World Live show in the Prince Caspian garden.

Designed and created by Marney Hall, the garden recreated landscape from the film including the beaches of Narnia, the ancient woodlands, rock pools and won a gold award at the event.

This year the five-day festival, which also includes the BBC Good Food Show Summer and areas dedicated to Good Homes and Countryfile, aims to educate and persuade people to adopt a greener lifestyle.

Visitors yesterday were asked to start their eco-campaign at home before they arrived at the show by gathering their old mobile phones and bringing them along to take part in the UK’s largest ever mobile phone recycling event.

They were also invited to take a journey around the Sustainable Future feature and learn practical ways of reducing their carbon footprint. “Energy Doctors” from the Energy Saving Trust will be on hand to identify simple steps that everyone can take to make a difference as well as giving visitors the chance to get an energy-saving “prescription” for their home.

In the heart of the Sustainable Future feature is the Green Clinic with free sessions hosted by environmental broadcaster, author and consultant Joanna Yarrow and guest speakers over the next few days will include John Craven, Ben Fogle, Oliver Heath, Tina Jesson and Hannah Genders.

The eco theme has been used throughout the shows, with BBC Gardeners’ World Live demonstrating how to grow vegetables, collect and recycle water and construct an ethical garden from recycled materials.

At the BBC Good Food Show Summer, Slow Food Taste workshops aim to convince visitors that locally-grown food tastes great and that reducing your carbon footprint on food does not mean compromising on quality. There will also be an opportunity to stock up on environmentally friendly picnic ware from The Wholeleaf Co., which has produced a range of plates, bowls and platters made entirely from palm leaves.

The festival concludes on Sunday.