A SCARECROW Festival inspired by Romanby Women's Institute near Northallerton raised over £2,900 for charity.

The community created 85 homemade scarecrows for the event with gardens across the village coming alive with colourful and creative figures.

The money was raised by visitors buying trail maps to explore the creations voting for their favourites. The winner received £100.

Organiser and WI member Samantha Jennings said: "The participants really surpassed themselves this year. Many of the scarecrows are part sculpture, part engineering. One community has never seen so much papier-mâché. Some were weeks in the making, and months in planning. On the Saturday we had torrential rain and were worried all our efforts would go to waste. But people put out gazebos and taped up umbrellas to protect their creations. As the day went on more and more people came out to explore on foot or in cars. Then on Sunday the weather was glorious and people were everywhere.That’s really what the event is about, bringing the community together, young and old, people born and bred and new residents. We sold 782 maps, so estimate over 2000 people enjoyed the event."

The WI set the ball rolling this year with a Calendar Girls themed scarecrow. First place went to the McDonald family and their Very Hungry Caterpillar Scarecrow with a Captain Cook Scarecrow standing astride the jaws of the crocodile second.