Coronavirus: Village scarecrow contest relieves lockdown blues

Dozens of residents of a village in north Wales are hoping their scarecrow is outstanding in its field.

About 70 of the figures have sprung up around Overton-on-Dee, in Wrexham, after villagers decided to hold a scarecrow-making competition - a once annual tradition.

NHS nurses, film stars, even the Queen and Prince Philip have appeared in front gardens, driveways or peering over garden walls.

The village, which sits on the Welsh-English border, had a population of just 1,382 at the last census.

But that hasn't stopped residents coming together to provide some light-hearted cheer during the lockdown.

"It's to cheer people up and give the children and adults alike something to do, and something to have a laugh about when walking around," said Jill Burton, who explained it was the brainchild of neighbour Jude Moulsdale.

As the number of entrants grew, the organisers decided to charge a £2 entry fee and £2 to vote for the winners of the various categories to raise money for the nearby Hope House Children's Hospice.