PRESTWICH residents are being invited to get creative and spread some joy as the town prepares to host its first Summer Scarecrow Festival.

The festival will run between August 23 and August 30 and has been organised Greater Manchester Police's Prestwich Neighbourhood Team.

In a post on social media, GMP Bury South said: "We have had a lot of community events cancelled this year due to Covid so the Prestwich team have put their thinking caps on and we are organising a Prestwich Scarecrow Festival.

"We are asking Prestwich residents to take part in the competition and create a Scarecrow with your family and to visibly display it."

Entries for the fun family event can be made by sending a photo of your 'ex-straw-dinary' creations to burysouth@gmp.police.uk by August 22.

Winners will then be determined by a team of judges and a public vote.

Prizes will be presented by the Mayor of Bury and Holyrood ward councillor, Cllr Tim Pickstone, and have been generously donated by a number of the town's businesses.