Slideshow: Tadmarton scarecrows are having a festival all of their own

The imaginative and colourful scarecrows are part of what has become an annual event to herald the arrival of a wonderful folk and jazz band called, appropriately, Scarecrow.

The group played a hugely successful fundraising concert in St Nicholas Church in the village last year and to welcome it, villagers came up with a galaxy of 42 weird and wonderful creatures which adorned houses, hedges and verges.

Rev Ronald Hawkes said: “The band was brilliant last year and so we thought we’d do it all over again this year.

“My wife, Liz, and I were judges and will be judging again. We will give certificates to all entrants with comments about the outstanding features of each scarecrow.

“This year there is a scarecrow mowing the grass in the churchyard. He’s so lifelike I even said ‘good morning’ to it the other day. The residents have been very creative with their entries which are attracting visitors to the village.”

The band plays on Saturday evening at the church at 7.30pm. Judging of the scarecrows will take place in the morning.