In photos: Lubenham Scarecrow Festival makes a triumphant return to the streets

The Lubenham Scarecrow Festival made a triumphant return to the streets after an absence of two years.

Villagers put on a wonderful show for visiting families over the weekend (September 10-11) with more than 160 houses putting out lovingly hand-crafted scarecrows to delight the thousands of children searching for them around the streets.

Seventy stalls on the green served up a wide range of street food and drink, while craft creators and curio stalls did roaring business. More than a dozen local voluntary groups ran competitions to raise funds for their causes.

With packed streets and four car parks fully occupied there was only just about enough room for the free tractor rides to make their way around the streets, but they were fully occupied for every hour of both days, showing visitors around the village.

A spokesperson for the organisers said: “These last few days have been sad and subdued for the nation, so we were really pleased to bring the scarecrows back and to bring out the smiles of the faces of thousands of children. The rain held off, the sun shone down on the green. The people of the village really came through in producing a record number of brilliant scarecrows to delight the crowds. Some much needed funds were raised for good causes."

The Harborough Mail's photographer Andy Carpenter was at the event. Here are his photos.