A VILLAGE scarecrow festival featuring popular characters ranging from Peppa Pig to Eddie the Eagle has attracted crowds from across the region.

The annual event at Appleton Wiske, near Northallerton, saw 62 creations unveiled, including a life-size model of the Queen riding a horse, alongside eight of the show's most popular creations from previous years, including one of Liquorice Allsorts character Bertie Bassett.

Organiser Gill Rawling said attendances at the event had initially been affected by heavy showers, but the final day had seen the village thronging with visitors.

She said an event in which youngsters hunted for model robins on 20 of the scarecrows had proved particularly popular.

Mrs Rawling added: "We had been hoping to at least raise the £4,600 we did last year, but you can't help the weather.

"The support shown for the festival in the village has been fantastic with 75 per cent of residents supporting it in one way or other."