INVADERS from beyond the stars have landed in a southern Oxfordshire village and taken up residence in gardens.

The out of this world visitors spotted around the Hanneys are themed scarecrows which have been erected for a competition as part of this year’s Michaelmas Fayre, held on Saturday, September 28.

This year’s scarecrow trail was themed around the 50th anniversary of the first moon landing by American astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins, which took place on July 20, 1969.

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Oxford Mail:

A Lego spaceman conquers the lawn.

Villagers of the Hanneys took on the theme with entries including an Apollo 11 style astronaut, complete with an American flag on his uniform, and a Lego spaceman similar to the one featured in 2014’s Lego movie.

There were also more outlandish exhibits, including an alien with a sign demanding to be taken to the village leaders: a cliched greeting often used by extraterrestrials in pop sci-fi from the mid-20th century.

One scarecrow was dressed as a Ziggy Stardust era David Bowie with a red guitar, complete with jumpsuit and Aladdin Sane-style lightning bolt painted across his face.

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Ziggy Stardust reborn in scarecrow form.

Other entries included an angler who had ‘gone fishing’ in his own garden.

There was also a scarecrow with two oars in hand, rowing a bathtub across a driveway.

Behind him was a waterwheel: a makeshift fountain with droplets falling into a trailer for a motorvehicle lined with waterproofing.

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Michaelmas Fayre organiser Helen Cakebread Hall said the maxim behind the end of summer festival was ‘by the village, for the village.’

There are regular events each year at the traditional village show, including the Wantage Silver Band, an Oxfordshire Morris, various games and activities and the WI Teas.

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A spaceman honouring the Apollo 11 landing.

Competitions at the village show range from cookery, to flowers, fruits and vegetables.

Each year there is an additional attraction and this year it was decided the scarecrow trail would be revived.

In past years there has also been a circus workshop, where the village kids have been taught how to unicycle and juggle, and a soapbox derby featuring homemade go-karts.

Proceeds from show entries are first used to pay expenses for hosting, with the majority being put into a pot of money which is then spent on community projects.

Since 2013, a total of £18,000 has been raised and has been paid out in 55 grants to local organisations.

Michaelmas is a Christian festival usually observed on 29 September.

It is held in honour of St Michael and the archangels.