VISITORS were surprised to find an East Yorkshire village had been taken over by scarecrows.

Villagers in Wetwang, near Driffield, are hosting their first scarecrow festival until Sunday. The event, which was launched on Saturday, has seen everything from Harry Potter dangling from a Wetwang window to a scarecrow policeman slowing down traffic at the village boundary.

The most unusual exhibit at the festival, which includes a craft fair, is a scarecrow of local doctor Alan Clarke. The GP allowed staff at Wetwang Health Centre to take a plaster cast of every part of his body to help them produce his double for the festival.

Organiser Anne Rabbitts said: "Both judges and visitors to the village, who have come from as far away as Surrey, have been very impressed with the exhibits. Some of the entries give a fascinating glimpse at Wetwang's history, with scarecrows representing Wetwang's famous Chariot Princess and the not so well-known Wolds Rangers who used to forage and beg around local villages."

Eagle-eyed passers-by can also spot biblical characters, such as Noah and Moses, scattered throughout the village by local churches. And a scarecrow circus has been organised to entertain the children. The event has been so successful, the village is planning to hold another scarecrow festival next year.

Updated: 10:34 Wednesday, May 28, 2003