FAMILIES went on the hunt for scarecrows at the weekend, with village streets revealing some fantastic creations — from Harry Potter-inspired showpieces to hand-crafted Minion designs.

There were 110 ex-straw-dinary exhibits to browse at the fourth annual Kearsley Scarecrow Festival including a display paying tribute to the NHS’ 70th birthday, complete with an operating table, surgeons and life support machine.

Festival organiser Tracey Wilkinson said: “For me, the festival is all about families and members of the community coming together.

"It has been a great event.

“I really want to thank our judges, Harley Barker, Helen Owen and Rev Stuart Wild, and also our sponsors, without whom we would not be able to hold the event.”

The 2018 competition winners were announced in a special prize-giving service at Kearsley Mount Methodist Church on Sunday.

The Pope family were hailed the winners of the residents category with their magical recreation of C. S. Lewis’ The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe at their home in Tanfield Drive.

Three generations of the same family worked on the piece.

Prestolee Primary School was the winner of the schools and nurseries category with their Liquorice allsorts-themed display.

And first prize for the business and organisation group category went to New Jerusalem Church Sunday School for their straw depiction of one of the miracles of Jesus — calming the storm.

Kearsley Youth Brass Band also delighted visitors with a series of performances at several of the pubs on the trails.

The Mayor of Bolton, Cllr Elaine Sherrington, said: “I think it is brilliant that the community has been doing this for a number of years.

“The whole idea of this is to bring the community together.

“However, on the other side, the scarecrow designs are out of this world.”