BLACKROD is bracing itself for an invasion of scarecrows this weekend.

The eighth annual scarecrow festival will see hundreds of people flock to the village to see more than 100 scarecrows, which have been created by residents, businesses and schoolchildren.

The festival, which is Blackrod’s major community event, has been planned for months and will see scarecrows positioned across the village.

As well as the scarecrow displays, there will be a host of activities for people and families to enjoy, including an art exhibition and children’s activities at the Library in Church Street and refreshments and activities will be on offer at both St Katharine’s Church and the Methodist Church throughout the weekend.

For those visitors who have mobility problems, a Playdays minibus will be in operation to escort people around.

The festival also coincides with the Blackrod Primary School summer fair and visitors are encouraged to pop into the school while visiting the village.

Festival organiser, Jean Hibbert said: “Once again it’s been five months in the planning but with help and encouragement from so many people in the village it makes it a pleasure to pull it all together.

“In the past droves of visitors have come to share the day with us and it shows what a community can do when they all pull together.

“The schools and the churches benefit so much from the money raised and are able to buy many extras — its well worth all the effort.”

Visitors will be able to make the most of the weekend by picking up a programme — which as well as including raffle tickets for a prize draw, will also contain maps to direct people to the various locations of all of the scarecrows on display throughout the village.

They can be bought for £2 at a variety of locations throughout Blackrod.