CROWDS descended on Waddington yesterday for the start of the 6th annual Scarecrow Festival.

Almost every pub, home and business in the area created scarecrows and competed to be the best to draw in crowds from across the North West.

The Lower Buck pub, Edisford Road, entered the competition and created a Sweeney Todd, the fictional barber and serial killer.

In previous years the village has been invaded by more than 100 scarecrows in the festival, born out of the adversity of foot and mouth.

The gardens of many homes showcased scarecrows.

The festival began at 10am with a variety of stalls selling plants, sweets, bric-a-brac and cakes.

At 3pm hundreds of bright yellow ducks were raced in Waddington Brook.

More than 1,000 visitors attended the event.