ALTON Horticultural Society is inviting children of year six junior school age or younger to take part in this year’s Alton in Bloom scarecrow competition.

Taking place on Saturday on the lawn outside Alton Assembly Rooms, youngsters can deliver their scarecrows from 10am for judging at noon.

The advice from the organisers is that family help is allowed to make the frame but the scarecrow should essentially be the work of children. The scarecrow should be made of natural materials, with no plastic faces.

There are two categories – individual entries and group entries, open to schools, playgroups, and young people’s organisations.

First, second and third prizes will be awarded in each category, comprising ‘something to grow’, donated by Garthowen Garden Centre at Four Marks, and the overall winner will hold the Scarecrow Trophy for a year.

It is not necessary to enter in advance and there is no entry fee.

This year’s competition has been extended to include art. Any child bringing their drawing or painting of a scarecrow to the competition will receive a plant grown by members of Alton Horticultural Society.

Paper and crayons will be available on site for artwork on the day and parents can draw a picture for younger children to colour.

The scarecrows will remain on view during the afternoon to be enjoyed by visitors to the horticultural society’s summer show, which will be open to the public, after judging has finished at noon, with the prizegiving taking place at 2.30pm.

The show closes at 4pm.