IT took the best part of 20 years as a Purton resident, but Ali Davies and her co-organisers finally orchestrated the village’s first-ever scarecrow trail at the weekend.

The influence of similar ideas in other Wiltshire villages inspired Ali, of Hyde Lane in Purton, to ask around the village for interest in putting their very own quiz trail.

It was in May she approached Ali Bunce, which led to a conversation which snowballed into this weekend’s event, with help from Lindsey Hall and Denise Lockett along the way.

“Purton hasn’t had one [a scarecrow trail] of its own. Highworth and Wanborough have had them for several years,” said Ali.

“I have enjoyed theirs and after partaking in the quizzes they have attached to the trails I thought it would transfer well to Purton.

“It’s good for local business too. Many of them have given us prizes and they have had scarecrows in their windows, which has made people come and stand outside.

“People might not realise they were in the village, so getting a scarecrow outside their business puts them in people’s minds.

“Villagers are enjoying it, which we have been astounded by. The local businesses have been enjoying it as well.”

The trail took place on Saturday and Sunday, with maps and quiz sheets available from Purton House Organics Farm Shop and the Royal George pub.

Entrants paid £2 and took a tour of the village’s various scarecrows, based around the theme of fairy tales and nursery rhymes, answering quiz questions as they went.

Prizes were handed to those with the most correct answers and the creator of the most popular scarecrow, as decided by entrants.

All money raised by Ali and co will be donated to charities in the area.

There are hopes the trail will return to Purton in 2015, but much has been learnt from this year’s experiences, which have materialised in five months of planning.

“We have been on a big learning curve,” said Ali. “This is still our first year of doing it. There has been a lot of help from other people. Our husbands have been very helpful.”

And the main issue?

“It was how to advertise it. We didn’t know how to let people know about it,” she said. “Lindsey became our press officer and she had a few ideas on how to put it out there.

“We hope it might happen again. I’m feeling a little better, but it’s been a very busy weekend, very rewarding.

“When I saw how much work had gone into some of them [the scarecrows], I felt very proud.”