TRADITIONALLY tidy Chorley villages will come under the microscope this summer as judges inspect local communities for a countywide competition.

Every nook and cranny of 17 villages in the borough will be put to the test as part of the Lancashire Best Kept Village contest.

Chorley has enjoyed success in recent years, with White Coppice voted best kept hamlet and the Black Bull in Mawdesley awarded best kept pub last year.

New entrants to the competition, sponsored by Chorley and District Building Society, include Heapey, and judges have split Adlington into two sections.

Organiser Donald Cameron explained: "It's more about community tidiness than prettiness. The judges will be checking for a lack of weeds and lack of graffiti amongst other things.

"Basically, we're looking for the traditional Lancashire community value of sweeping the pavement with a broom.

"The standard in Chorley is going up and the borough's villages could certainly teach other areas a thing or two."

Prizes are on offer in four main sections and there are 26 other awards for categories ranging from best kept pub car park to best kept church.

Lancashire's chief constable Pauline Clare will judge the finalists in August and will present the awards in the autumn.

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