FANS of blockbuster movies such as Pirates of the Caribbean and Harry Potter will have seen thousands of candles flickering in the background but may not know that they were made by a Pontllanfraith candle maker.

David Constable,75, has been making candles in his workshop at Gelligroes Mill since 1993 and was given the royal warrant of candle maker to The Prince of Wales in the 1990s.

His candles have also appeared in the film ‘First Knight’ and tv series ‘Game of Thrones’, ‘Doctor Who’ and ‘Merlin’ but his most recent orders from film companies have been for the British TV series ‘Poldark’, ‘Wolf Hall’ and the current remake of the classic ‘Cinderella.’

See if you can spot David's candles in this Poldark trailer:

How about in this Game of Thrones trailer?

Mr Constable is self-taught and began making candles in the late 1960s in London as a hobby which soon turned into a business selling moulds and supplying candle making kits to craft makers and later making and selling handmade candles.

He has since made hundreds of thousands of candles in all shapes, sizes and colour along with his wife Julie, and a member of staff based in a workshop and shop at the 17th century watermill that was once the home of the Moore family. It was here in 1912 that amateur radio enthusiast Artie Moore picked up the first SOS from the Titanic over 3,000 miles away in the Atlantic.

His candles have graced many film sets over the years. He recalls his first work for a film was in 1974 for Dracula starring Jack Palance.

“They approached me and asked me to make 30 inch and a half in diameter black candles with three wicks.”

“They need to have two or three wicks in them so that they burn brighter on the set as they film by candle light,” he explained.

He is used to making bulk orders with little time for blockbusters. In 2013 he was asked for three tonnes of traditional candles for the filming of ‘Cinderella.’

“It takes us about half a day to make one rack of around 160 candles. We've been contacted by set decorators asking for them on the same day. We are geared up for sudden orders and always fulfil them.”

He said among the more unusual orders he has received is a roast chicken-shaped candle and a Frozen-themed candle for a child’s birthday cake.

“The biggest candle I made measured nine metres and 30 feet and weighted seven tonnes in 1989. I broke the world record for the biggest free-standing candle."

On seeing his candles on screen he said: “It’s lovely. It’s a good time for candles with all the historical drama’s being filmed.”