Queen's Platinum Jubilee: Herefordshire village celebrates with 104 scarecrows

Villagers have created 104 royal-themed scarecrows for the Platinum Jubilee.

They include models of the royal family stood at a balcony and the Queen with her corgis, alongside musicians Prince and Freddie Mercury from Queen.

People living in Wellington, Herefordshire, make scarecrows every two years for their village fun week and will be inviting an independent judge to choose a winner.

Co-organiser Phil Smith, 68, said: "Some of them are really impressive."

He said his favourite was a model of the Queen with a parachute and added: "Everybody deserves to let their hair down a little bit.

"Two years of lockdown hasn't been good for anybody but we're just taking the opportunity to give something back and everybody has responded brilliantly."

The fun week started in 1972 with the addition of the scarecrow in 2006. People who have moved away from the village often return to take part, organisers said.

Mr Smith said: "We've done it for a long time now and you watch the children grow up and take part, and they always come back to the village during fun week."

The week's fun includes themed quizzes, picnics, fireworks and bingo.

Mr Smith added that 70 years on the throne is something he "admires" about the Queen.

"The fact she dedicated her life to the country and the fact that she's actually stuck to her word for 70 years, I think everybody admires that and I think that's what's in my mind."

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