BETWEEN 20,000 and 30,000 people descended on Belbroughton over the weekend for the annual Scarecrow Festival.
This year’s event was themed on ABC – Authors, Books and Characters – and creations included The Very Hungry Catterpillar, The Snowman, Alice in Wonderland, The Gruffalo, Room on a Broom, Stick Man, the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, the Cat in the Hat and the Tiger Who Came to Tea.
There were also characters from Roald Dahl books, including James and the Giant Peach, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and George’s Marvellous Medicine, as the event came a fortnight after what would have been the writer’s 100th birthday.
The overall winner in the scarecrow competition went to Straw of the Worlds, done by Suzanne and Steve Perkins.
Other winners included Christrawpher Robin and Friends by the Boss Family and Gaynor Grainger (most original scarecrow), Snow White and the Seven Hay Bales by The Blaines (most creative scarecrow), the Three Little Straw Pigs by Sami and Amie (best interpretation of the theme), Straw Horse by Ella Firth (best pun) and The Scarecrows Wedding by Hasbury Pre-School, Halesowen (best guest scarecrow).
There was a host of other events, including live entertainment, art and craft displays, stalls, fairground rides, church tower tours, classic cars and aerial displays from Rich Goodwin.
In the Big Belbroughton Bake Off The Showstopper was won by Abigail Ash, Jo Holman came first in the Carrot Cake section, Sarah Hunter was judged to have the best Victoria Sponge, Julie Hopkinson triumphed in the Chocolate Cake category and the title of best Lemon Cake went to Jan Greenwood. Lizzie Margetts, Ava Broadhurst, Claire Pottinger, Isla Blain and Lisa Bridges were all ‘highly commended’.
It is not yet known how much was raised from the event but among those benefiting will be the village’s recreation centre, cricket club and the school, along with First Steps Nursery. Causes from outside the village which had stalls over the weekend included the RNLI, the RSPB, the Happy Staffie Rescue and Libby Mae’s Little Angels.
