A VILLAGE near York is celebrating after beating off more than 60 entrants to be among the winners of the first Yorkshire Village of the Year competition.

Sheriff Hutton won the North Yorkshire East category and is one of three villages in Yorkshire which will now go through to the national finals contested by 44 regional winners.

The Calor Gas-sponsored competition is run by the Yorkshire Rural Community Council and has replaced the 40-year-old Best Kept Village contest. Entrants are now judged over a series of visits.

Organiser Doreen Berriman said: "The judges had a most daunting task and were most impressed with the excellence of the entries. The visits gave the villages their chance to present every aspect of their community life and to take the judges on a village tour to show how they were caring for the environment."

Sheriff Hutton parish councillor Brian Parkinson submitted the bid.

He said: "It's great to have won. We put on a presentation with about 14 people who represent the different village organisations.

"When you consider the number of villages that entered the competition it's quite an accolade. This competition used to be about villages being well-kept, but now the emphasis is on people, which is much better."

The village's success was celebrated over the weekend at the Sheriff Hutton Medieval Feast, which was deemed a massive hit.

More than 3,000 people flocked to the village castle for a variety of events including a joust and medieval play performed by the local primary school, together with stalls and games.

A parade led by a knight in armour also took place to mark the 900th anniversary of the parish church, St Helen and Holy Cross.

Coun Parkinson said: "It was quite spectacular."

The village will receive a commemorative plaque at a presentation ceremony later this year.

PICTURE: FLAG DAY: Thomas Tyler, back left, and James Tyler, hold standards for, front from left, Samantha Goodhall (Queen Ann), Christopher Starr (Prince Edward) and Michael Oliver (Richard III)

Pictures: David Harrison