An event that started in 2000 as an impromptu Millennium celebration has become the main focus of one village's calendar. Now in its eighth year, the Wrenbury Scarecrow Trail will take place from June 30th to July 14th.

Organised by the Friends of Wrenbury School as a fundraising activity, the event has grown in popularity and last year there were an astonishing 140 entries. People come from miles around to take part and Friends chairman Lorraine Wilkinson said: 'The real stars of the show are the people of Wrenbury village and the surrounding areas of Aston, Wrenbury Heath and Wrenbury Frith without whose imagination and creativity the event would come to nothing.'

The Scarecrow Trail takes visitors on a four-mile route through the village. There is a trail guide available showing the locations and names of the scarecrows with suggested routes for people new to the area.

The route also takes visitors past several country pubs, ideal for a little light refreshment and to make the choosing of the winning scarecrow that little bit less daunting. There are ballot boxes around the trail to post votes and the winner will be presented with a prize at the Summer Fayre on Sunday July 8th.

Last year the innovative I'm A Scarecrow, Get Me Out Of Here, made by villagers Helen and Glyn Davies, won the competition. Their scarecrow was in two parts: a viewing screen required visitors to look through a pair of `binoculars' to see their version of TV presenters Ant and Dec in the jungle.

Other entries included The Bishop by Wrenbury Church, the Dusty Miller pub entry The Foxtrot, plus Chicken Little and the group The Uddertones. However, in a shock event, PC Speedy, the traffic cop scarecrow, was kidnapped and had to be replaced at the last moment by WPC Speedy.

`Thankfully this was the only major hiccough of the whole fortnight,' said Lorraine, adding: 'We're sure this year's event will be bigger and better than ever.'

For more information go to www.scarecrowtrail.co.uk.