A VILLAGE near Uttoxeter has triumphed in Staffordshire’s Best Kept Village competition.
Marchington beat competition from Bramshall, Denstone and Stubwood to be crowned the best small village in East Staffordshire as part of the Community Council of Staffordshire’s annual awards.
The village was awarded the community council trophy.
Nearby Abbots Bromley was awarded second place in the best large village competition, with Yoxall claiming first place.
Kingstone was also highly commended in the East Staffordshire category.
Marchington Parish Council said on its website: “The parish council is very pleased to announce that Marchington has this year won the East Staffordshire District Community Council Trophy and came first place in the Small Village category.
“Thank you to all the residents and organisations who made the village look at its best during the competition. It is a wonderful award and well deserved.” Among the other winners across the county was Alton, which was awarded third place in the large village category for the Staffordshire Moorlands district and Stowe by Chartley was highly commended in the Stafford district.
John Perry, chairman of the Best Kept Village competition working group, said: “We had 57 entries this year across the whole county, which was well up on last year.
“Perhaps some villages have been invigorated by the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the Olympics.
“A number of villages which hadn’t entered for a while did so this year and they did pretty well too.” In addition to the best kept village awards, the Staffordshire children’s poster competition resulted in hundreds of items of artwork being displayed in many competing villages.
Among the winning entries was Benjamin Ralph, of Bramshall, who was highly commended in the five to seven age group.
Mr Perry added: “I should like to thank all the villages which entered this year in 2012 and worked so hard through a very difficult summer to achieve the standards they did. Thanks also to our volunteer judges who gave their time to make the competition possible many of whom got rather wet at times in doing so.
“We always need more judges so if you could spare a couple of days in May and June, give it a go.” Anyone interested in becoming a judge is asked to call Liz Sanderson on 01785 242525 or e-mail communitycouncil@staffs.org.uk
