SMILING scarecrows are causing a stir in a West Oxfordshire village as one woman continues her mission to raise funds for Marie Curie Cancer Care.

Clerk for Blackbird Leys Parish Council Nicky Clargo saw her family “stripped apart” by cancer as she grew up and is on a mission to raise £10,000 this year for the charity.

The 41-year-old is organising a Sizzlin’ Summer Shindig on Saturday at The Oxfordshire Yeoman Pub in Freeland, in a bid to raise £1,000.

But in the run-up to the event, to heighten the excitement, she has mounted a special scarecrow display across the village.

Currently around six scarecrows have been placed at various locations, including a cowboy and cowgirl outside Miss Clargo’s house.

She said: “Lots of villages do scarecrow competitions.

“I’ve spotted so many people standing outside my house looking at the scarecrows – even the binmen were taking pictures.

“One girl stopped and said she had just split up with her boyfriend and could she have a picture with the cowboy.

“She was going to put it on her Facebook and say it was her new man.”

Miss Clargo’s family has been affected by cancer, which is why the charity worker is so dedicated to raising all the money she can.

Last year she assembled a team of volunteers from across the county – named Oxfordshire Stars – to raise £10,000.

Members have already completed a 25-mile trek in the Yorkshire Dales, which raised more than £2,000, and organised a riverside festival in Eynsham.

Miss Clargo lost her father, Peter , to liver cancer and mother, Rita Moody, 48, to leukaemia when she was 28.

Her grandmother Eileen Claridge died when she was 72 from kidney and bladder cancer and her aunt Marilyn Holifield died 14 months later, aged 44, from lung and brain cancer.

Her grandfather Alfie died from brain tumours when he was 38, before Miss Clargo was even born.

She added: “My family was completely stripped by this terrible illness.

“Outside the Oxfordshire Yeoman Pub I’ve put up two big scarecrows and named them Alfie and Eileen after my grandparents.”

Marie Curie Cancer Care provides care, support and guidance for people living with any terminal illness, and their families.

Everyone is invited to the summer shindig this Saturday at 7pm at the Oxfordshire Yeoman pub.

Tickets to the event with food cost £10 in advance.

For details call 07754 271831.