SCARECROWS of all shapes and sizes have invaded Wanborough in the thirteenth annual Scarecrow Trail.

Kids and grown-ups made the most of the Saturday sun by hunting for scarecrows that have recently sprung up across the village.

The event is run by local residents to raise funds for the Wanborough Community Fund, a charity which supports projects and events in the village.

Fifty-two scarecrows – handmade by the First Wanborough Scout Group, the Sixth Swindon Cubs and other residents – have been placed at various locations around the village and those with a keen sense of adventure spent Saturday afternoon seeing if they could track them down.

The Scarecrow Trail is a favourite event of organiser Tessa Lanstein.

She said: “It has been a real community effort and it’s great to see everybody come together on such a lovely day.

“I love the fact that everybody pulls together and joins in and as you walk round you get to talk to people in their gardens.

“Wanborough is a really close community and the trail is a wonderful way to celebrate that.”

The theme for this year’s trail is myths, legends and proverbs, and each makeshift scarecrow has a connection with one or more.

The route takes around two to three hours to complete and takes in some of Wanborough’s most popular beauty spots.

The starting point was the village hall and participants could stop of at Wanborough Primary School for a cup of tea and a piece of cake half way round.

The children were given activity sheets and each scarecrow corresponds to a symbol that is checked off the list once it has been found.

“It goes on until May 7, so there’s still plenty of time for people to come and have a go,” said Tessa.

And there are even prizes for those who manage to guess whether each scarecrow represents a myth legend or proverb. First prize is a £100 Marks and Spencer voucher, second prize is a £50 WH Smith voucher and third prize is a £25 voucher for the Wanborough Herb Nursery.

Wasting no time at all, organisers have already selected the theme for next year’s Scarecrow Trail: comics and cartoons.

People are encouraged to attend the village’s May Day fair on Monday, May 1 and the Wanborough Circus on June 18.