SUNSHINE greeted visitors to Heworth this weekend as residents pulled out all the stops to create a new straw-based welcome party.

Families throughout the York suburb took part in the festival, organised by Friends of Glen Gardens, as they made their way down a trail of characters to pick a winner.

Organiser Gill Oakes said: “Friends of Glen Gardens was formed after the council stopped paying to look after the gardens, so this was set up about three years ago to keep it going and buy plants and bulbs.

“We have advertised this throughout the community and anyone who wanted to do a scarecrow was able to.

“The public can come in and buy a trail map for £2 and the money will keep our mission going of looking after the park.”

The group sold around 300 maps last year and is on course to better that total this year.

The festival runs until today.