Organisers expect more than 50 entries to the village's fourth annual competition, in which householders and families compete to create the most spectacular, funniest and most imaginative figures.

This year's theme is 'At the Movies' and visitors can buy a route plan and vote for their favourites as they travel around the village.

Organiser Judith Hough said: "The scarecrows are always great fun and unusual and the festival is becoming bigger every year.

"We are looking to make this year's festival a real tourist attraction."

Previous festivals have been run by Lapworth WI in aid of causes around the village but this year's has been organised by Lapworth Pre-School, which is hoping to build an outdoor covered classroom area.

The event will be based around the village hall, where there will be bouncy castles, face painting, temporary tattoos, a tombola and traditional home made cakes and cream teas.

Judging will take place on September 13 and 14 from 12noon to 5pm and there will be an awards party at the Navigation Inn in Old Warwick Road.

l Families can identify their favourite scarecrow as part of the Barford Scarecrow Festival on the August bank holiday weekend.

Families can pick up maps from St Peter's church in Church Street and set off to find their favourite straw specimen.

Children can also make their own 'wooden spoon' scarecrows and deliver them to the church where they will be on display throughout the weekend.

Organiser Jan Bradley urged families to enter the competition and to take part in the event. She said: "I know that everyone would like to see it again, but we hope that we will have more new ideas and lots more scarecrows too."

Church doors will open at 10.30am on August 23 and 24 and at 11am on August 25.