Much-loved Lubenham Scarecrow Festival cancelled due to the Covid pandemic

This year’s much-loved Lubenham Scarecrow Festival – which stretches back 20 years - has been cancelled due to the Covid pandemic.

Organisers of the popular two-day event, which usually goes ahead in September in Lubenham, near Market Harborough, said they are calling it off with “heavy hearts”.

They said they are unable to ensure they could get the official go-ahead for the weekend village-wide spectacular to take place.

“Along with the event insurance it needs, the organisers have concluded with heavy hearts that they cannot proceed once again this year,” they said.

Chairman Jim Burbidge said: “The village loves to put on this sunny event.

“But the pandemic continues to cast a deep shadow over it, as it does on so many parts of our lives.”

Jim added: “We’re sad that we won’t be seeing the hundreds of fantastic scarecrows the residents of Lubenham create to delight us. “We’re sad that we won’t be able to welcome the thousands of families that come to fill the streets in every normal year.

“We’re sad that we won’t be able to raise the funds that do so much to help deserving causes in the village.

“But we will be back in 2022 and we look forward to welcoming everyone with a smile next year.”