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People in a Herefordshire village have created 104 royal-themed scarecrows as part of a competition to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
The biennial Wellington Village Fun Week has this year been taken over by jubilee celebrations, featuring quizzes, picnics, fireworks and bingo.
And many of those taking part in the event have designed life-sized Queens, Prince Philips, and even royal guards for their gardens.
A depiction of the Queen with one of her beloved Corgi dogs
“The theme this year is kings, queens, princes, princesses or anything with a royal connection,” co-organiser Phil Smith, 68, said.
“For instance, the chapel in the village have done a display of William, the Queen, Philip and all the royal children as one display.
Scarecrows based on various members of the Royal Family
“We’ve probably got a dozen or so Queens dotted around… and a few Purple Rain Princes.”
Wellington Village Fun Week has been running since 1972, and first featured a scarecrow competition in 2006.
Princess Leia from Star Wars also features among the entrants
An independent judge from outside of the village will assess the figures on Saturday night and announce the winner at a local picnic.
Other creations include Princess Fiona from the movie Shrek, Queen frontman Freddie Mercury, and Princess Leia from Star Wars.
Another representation of the monarch
“Some of them are really impressive,” Mr Smith said.
“My personal one is the Queen with a parachute and she’s parachuting into my garden, she is stuffed with straw.
One competitor chose to create a scarecrow supposedly resembling late musician Prince
“Some people are so artistic and have such imaginative minds. Everyone seems to have grasped it really well.”
Mr Smith said it took him around four days to put together his scarecrow creation of the Queen, but stressed the competition was about the “taking part” for the villagers.
A scarecrow figure of the Queen, standing amid some foliage
“(The prize) might be a couple of bottles of wine and a box of chocolates – the prizes aren’t important, although it is competitive,” he said.
“It’s the prestige, but it’s done in a light-hearted way – it’s banter more than anything.
The figure based on Queen frontman Freddie Mercury, complete with a vacuum cleaner and legs that appear to bend forwards at the knee
“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.”
Mr Smith added that the Queen’s 70 years on the throne was something he “admired” about her.
“The admiration I think everyone’s got of 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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