Uffington Scarecrow Festival 2024 includes Bill and Ben, Bagpuss, Top Gear and University Challenge

suzanne.moon@iliffepublishing.co.uk

Published: 11:55, 07 May 2024

| Updated: 10:59, 08 May 2024

Familiar faces and children’s characters popped up all over a village during the bank holiday weekend.

Sunshine and a packed schedule helped to attract thousands of visitors to the Uffington Scarecrow Festival on Sunday and Monday.

This year’s theme focused on well-known TV and radio programmes since the 1950s, including children’s classics Andy Pandy, Bagpuss and Bill and Ben, as well as shows for grown ups ranging from Desert Island Discs and the Vicar of Dibley through to University Challenge and Top Gear.

Freddie Riches and Harry Campling with Katrina and James Riches, Stacey and Daniel Campling look at a scarecrow Grand National rider coming over a garden hedge. Photo: Chris Lowndes

Winner of the ‘best scarecrow’ prize depicted a Grand National rider leaping over a garden hedge, with Igglepiggle - created by the Knight family and therefore ‘in the Knight garden’ - and a snoring Bagpuss also picking up prizes.

Other top creations included a scarecrow Richard Dimbleby presenting an April Fool’s slot of Panorama under a ‘spaghetti tree’, and - quite fittingly - a scarecrow Worzel Gummidge.

Winners of the scarecrow trail quiz were James Nikel and Scott Holland for the adults, and Francesca Barlow for the children’s version.

As well as the quiz, there were bric-a-brac and plant stalls to explore, home-made cakes to taste, plus welly wanging, traditional fairground games, and a display of farm machinery and classic vehicles.

Karen Ross with her Bill and Ben scarecrows. Photo: Chris Lowndes

Those there at the right time each day could see a flypast of Second World War aircraft, while there was a dog show on Sunday afternoon.

Lincolnshire police community support officers attended, and Stamford’s firefighters let children take a look inside one of the town’s two fire engines.

At St Michael and All Angels’ Church people could take a trip up the bell tower, see traditional crafts being demonstrated, and there was a ‘Songs of Praise’ for people to sing favourite hymns as voted for by the community.

Father Aran Beesley, Rector of the Uffington Group, with the Vicar of Dibley. Photo: Chris Lowndes

Involving several local organists and musicians, and the Uffington School Singing for Fun Club, 150 votes were cast, ‘Jerusalem’ taking top spot with 30% of the vote.

‘Guide me O Thou Great Redeemer’ and ‘Be Still for the Presence of the Lord’ were joint second, and ‘Dear Lord and Father of Mankind’, ‘Praise My Soul’ and ‘How Great Thou Art’ joint third.

The festival is a huge fundraiser for Uffington, with money coming in from car parking and scarecrow trail quiz sheets. Money raised contributes to the upkeep of the thatched village hall on Main Road, the village church, primary school and cricket club.