Scarecrows make Martham bird-free zone

MARTHAM became a bird-free zone over the bank holiday weekend when a multitude of mawkins descended on the village.So solitary is their usual role - standing alone and unvisited in the middle of fields - that no one is quite sure what the name is for a collection of scarecrows.

MARTHAM became a bird-free zone over the bank holiday weekend when a multitude of mawkins descended on the village.

So solitary is their usual role - standing alone and unvisited in the middle of fields - that no one is quite sure what the name is for a collection of scarecrows.

But the flock of straw creations attracted people from all over the county and beyond as villagers pulled out all the stops to improve on last year's efforts.

Although numbers were slightly down organisers said the quality of the displays - all 87 of them - surpassed the previous years.

Liz Carpenter, part of a five-strong team behind the event, said local residents had put on their thinking heads to create amusing displays which took scarecrows well beyond their bird scaring role.

The winner was a household in Black Street which had a painter up a ladder and a carpenter sawing wood - music blaring out from their nearby works van.

Other examples included a mermaid in the pond - now home to a family of ducks, another astride a Harley Davidson motorbike and a vicar in the church.

Over 100 families took part in a treasure hunt. Stalls, sales of books and clothing, an auction and raffle also went well, with the event well supported by sponsors and visitors.

The committee comprising Julie and Steven Beales, Maggie Horrocks and Liz and Peter Carpenter hopes to have raised at least �500 towards the restoration of a tiny former school close to the church.

Preparations are under way for the Christmas craft fair and the committee is testing local opinion over a village garage/garden sale.