[Andy Warne]

I'd recommend buying a dedicated flashgun like the SB600(£160) and a lead to use it off-camera like the SC-28(£50), that way you have lots of options.
You can position the flash where you like and you can make lots of DIY diffusers and attachments to change the light quality to get the results you want. You could make a large diffuser out of opaque plastic, an angled deflector to bounce the light or even a ring flash attachment. Once you've got a setup that you like then you can build some sort of arm to hold the flash in place.
And a lot of people prefer using a monopod for macro shots or no support at all, just a fast shutter speed using the flash.

Andy