IF you go down to a village near Tadcaster next weekend you could be in for a big surprise ...

In villagers' gardens at Barkston Ash will be more than 20 scarecrows, disguised as nursery rhyme characters.

They have all enrolled for the village jamboree, including Wee Willie Winkie, Bo Peep, Old Mother Hubbard, and Incy-Wincy Spider.

They have all agreed to be part of a nursery rhyme-based scarecrow trail and visitors are invited to view them next Saturday and Sunday, July 5 and 6, between 10am and 4pm.

Trail maps cost £1 for adults and 50p for children and include a quiz based on a number of the characters on display.

Refreshments will be on sale throughout both days in the village hall, in Church Street.

Grand draw tickets will also be on sale throughout the weekend, with prizes ranging from dinner for two at Scarborough's Royal Hotel to a river cruise for two, courtesy of YorkBoat.

The Reverend Margaret Cundiff, of Camblesforth, author and associate minister at St James's Church, Selby, will judge the scarecrows, along with Radio York's Adam Tomilinson.

Updated: 08:47 Tuesday, July 01, 2003