When businessman Terry Butterfield and festival chairman asked villagers to join in, he had no idea he would end up with more than 90 exhibits which attracted more than 2,000 visitors over the bank holiday weekend.

He said: "It has been astonishing. The village was heaving with people all the time. We have made more than £2,000 selling maps at £1 each and on the food. We kept on running out of refreshments, asking for more and the food turned up. The response both from villagers and visitors has been unbelievable. We are doing it again next year and I know that already people are dreaming up ideas."

The festival was opened by Mayor of Pendle Coun. Shelagh Derwent, who toured the village with mayoress Mrs Ann McGeorge. "It took three hours for the mayor to get around all the exhibits as she had a word with everyone. She thoroughly enjoyed it and had a lot of laughs," he said.



The mayor had the difficult task of choosing the winners. First was a group conjured up by Jack Heyworth and Val Buttery, of Copthurst Avenue, which featured scarecrows playing cricket, while a female spectator sipped Pimms. A straw fisherman by the stream running through Phil and Louise Booker's garden at Rake Top Avenue, oblivious to the fact he had hooked a shark, took second prize. Third were two old lady scarecrows gossiping, made by Steve and Pam Whitehead of Moore Drive.

In St John's Church, a scarecrow vicar gave a silent sermon from the pulpit, while a choir of straw men and women watched from the choir stalls.

A photo CD of the scarecrows is available at the Four Alls.

Mr Butterfield said he wanted to thank everyone who had made the festival a success.