A TABLEAU of Batman and Robin vs The Joker earned Middleton-in-Teesdale butcher Alastair McFarlane top honours in the village’s carnival scarecrow competition.
Despite having to abandon the annual fancy dress parade, carnival organisers still wanted to capture the spirit of the annual event by organising a number of activities, including extending the usual scarecrow trail by businesses to include family homes.
Carnival chairwoman Eileen Dent said: “We thought let’s make it a bit bigger and it would be nice for children to have something to do in the holidays.
“I am really chuffed with everyone that took part. I think it has gone really well – they really are brilliant.”
More than 20 scarecrows, on the theme “heroes and villains” were dotted around the village.
A number feature comic book heroes and villains such as Spiderman and The Joker, while others have made a nod to real life heroes by producing effigies of a farmer and frontline workers from the village.
Kathryn Carr, of the Tees’pot cafe, spent about two hours producing her tribute to Florence Nightingale.
However, it was McFarlane’s Butchers that really caught the judge’s eyes.
Mr McFarlane said: “My sister-in-law Caroline did it. Two days it took her – she is magic.”
She produced Robin, Batman and The Joker figures from cardboard boxes used to package chicken fillet.
Middleton Care paid tribute to their own staff by making a care worker scarecrow.
The committee also had to make a variation of the annual treasure hunt – instead of everyone heading off on one evening trying to find clues, people could collect the entry forms at J Raine & Son and complete the hunt in their own time, with the winner being announced on Saturday, when the parade would normally have taken place.
Winners
Shops: 1, McFarlanes Butchers; 2, Tees’pot; 3, Middleton Care.
Gardens: 1, Jack and the beanstalk; 2, Cruella De Vil; 3, Joker.
