A VILLAGE competition brought back for 2024 enjoyed success in its return.

The Latchingdon Scarecrow Competition, which was revived this year after a four-year break, delighted residents and visitors alike with a creative and community-spirited display.

Honouring the memory of local farmer Peter Jones, who died earlier this year at 92, the competition saw 12 scarecrows scattered across the village.

Each was judged on the key categories of creativity, artistic merit, and use of recycled materials. 

The judges crowned "The Flower Pot Man" by Megan Simock and friends as the winner.

Local farmer and lifelong friend of Mr Jones, Richard Payle, presented the Peter Jones Memorial Plaque to the winning team.

Megan's creation, inspired by the classic children's characters Bill and Ben, narrowly took the top prize in what was described as a "very close" contest.

She said: "I was surprised to win as there were some great scarecrows around the village.

"Two friends were helping me and it just evolved along the way. I was a bit worried about the wind and rain but it held up well ."

The competition was part of Latchingdon's Harvest Festival, which also saw a generous outpouring of donations for the Dengie Foodbank.

Organisers were thrilled to receive more produce than ever before, with many residents praising the joyful and creative entries.

Angela Malone, one of the event's organisers, said she was particularly pleased with how the community embraced the competition once again, adding how it felt like a "true village celebration".

The event is set for a return next year.