A village has been over-run by straw characters as residents compete to be crowned king of the scarecrows.

This weekend’s East Hendred Scarecrow Competition has a ‘Royal Characters’ theme and has been imaginatively interpreted with a royal Shrek, King Kong, Cleopatra, Elvis, a kingfisher, and even a King Edward potato.

The trail ran from August 20 to today and visitors and residents have been picking their favourite of 24 entrants.

Votes will be counted tomorrow at the family show on the sports ground in Mill Lane to see which scarecrow is the most outstanding in its field.

It is the fifth year of the contest and the winner gets a scarecrow trophy for a year with their name engraved on it.

Val Prior, from organisers East Hendred Entertains, said: “The standard is getting better. It really is hard to choose a winner this year. They are all very good – a lot of work goes in to them.

“We try to make sure there is something going on in the village. It’s bringing the community together. We are maybe in competition with each other but we always help one another.”

She added: “It brings a lot of fun to the village and its lovely to hear the children talking about them.”

This year the contest is on course to raise more than £300 for Hendreds Primary School and St Amand’s Catholic Primary School Miss Prior added: “It all adds up and brings life to the village. We don’t really do it to make money.”

Trail maps can be picked up from Hendred Stores.

Owner of Hendred Stores Martin Johnson said: “It has always been good but this year it has been immense. We have had literally hundreds of people come in to the shop to buy their entry form and map. It really is fantastic.

“People have really raised the bar this year. It is good for the village. It brings people into the village. It helps to put Hendred on the map a bit.”

Malcolm Prior, 60, Coulings Close, created the kingfisher and the Postman Pat for his grandchildren.

He said: “I love a challenge. Anything that is going on you have to take part. You have to or things like this will die.”