Joanna Lumley swept into Brecon like some impossibly glamorous Royal figure on Saturday afternoon as she met members of the Gurkha community in the Market Hall before she was due to switch on the town’s Christmas lights.

On arrival she was welcomed by senior Gurkhas who had proudly lined up next to the Nepalese flag at a side entrance to the hall as well as members of the town council, the town crier and other local dignitaries.

She was then led around the market by the town’s mayor Ieuan Williams and introduced to shoppers and stallholders.

She was in town for the Brecon with Bells On event, which launches the town’s Christmas shopping season.

On arrival she had immediately charmed her Nepalese hosts by pressing her hands together as though in prayer and bowing her head by way of greeting. She was presented with a large bunch of flowers and received several gifts as she made her way around the market hall.

All around her there was a massive throng as people pressed in close to grab a few words and ask the actress to pose for selfies.

Polite to everyone she met and happy to accede to every photo request, the actress took more than half an hour to make her way around the hall before making her way into the town centre streets.

Asked by the Brecon & Radnor Express if she was used to such an enthusiastic welcome, she said: "Oh, yes all the time. I’m given flowers and mobbed everywhere I go!"

Taking her tongue out of her cheek, she added: "Actually, it’s been really wonderful. I’ve wanted to come to Brecon and meet the Gurkha community for such a long time. I’m so glad I came."

Ms Lumley then batted away a question about whether she would slip into character as Pasty, her character in Absolutely Fabulous, for the lights switch-on. "Absolutely not!" she said. "I will be saying a few words in English and I’ve been learning some Welsh, so I will say something in Welsh too. It’s wonderful the way Brecon has embraced the Gurkhas, who as I’m sure you know are very close to my heart."

Ms Lumley, whose father was an officer in the Gurkhas, has led a campaign to win settlement rights in Britain for the Gurkhas in recognition of their service alongside the British Armed Forces.

The Gurkha Company (Mandalay) is based at Dering Lines in Brecon and a ceremony bestowing the freedom of Brecon on the town’s Gurkha regiment was held earlier this year.

For pictures and a report of the Brecon with Bells On lights switching on ceremony see this week’s Brecon & Radnor Express.