VILLAGES in Wiltshire will be battling for the chance to be crowned the best-kept in the county.

Parish councils have been invited to enter the 2019 Campaign to Protect Rural England Wiltshire and The Hills Group's Best Kept Village Competition.

Anyone can compile the entry on the parish's behalf and coordinate the preparations for judging, but the council needs to be aware of a plan to submit an entry to avoid multiple entries from the same villages.

Entries must include a form, a map and a short report about the village and what makes it so well-presented.

The main best-kept village competition category is being sponsored by The Hills Group and prizes of up to £200 are up for grabs.

Princeton Homes are again sponsoring the Laurence Kitching Winner of Winners award with a £150 prize, and Haine and Smith Opticians are sponsoring the Best Newcomer Award which also has a £150 [prize and is open to any village that has not entered in the past five years.

The judging considers presentation, for example tidiness, absence of litter and evidence of community spirit and involvement.

Judges do not award marks for the beauty of buildings in order to prevent the same villages winning the competition every time.

Entry invitations will be sent to parish clerks throughout this month, and all entries must be submitted by Monday April 22.

For more information, visit CPRE Wiltshire’s website www.cprewiltshire.org.uk or email admin@cprewiltshire.org.uk or call 01380 722157.