RESIDENTS’ Wiltshire pub knowledge can be put to the test this weekend as Hilmarton Scarecrow Festival hosts its third annual trail.

This year’s theme of Wiltshire pubs will see scarecrows representing the names of all manner of familiar and unusual pub names.

Scarecrows will be in place between 10am and 4pm on Saturday and Sunday and there will also be a children’s trail, themed around food and drink, on a compact route as well as refreshments, a BBQ, a raffle and a cryptic quiz.

Main organiser Natalie Doust said: “We try to come up with themes that are a bit different, rather than just nursery rhymes, something a bit different will attract people and we have a children’s trail as well to make it more child orientated.

“It’s not on a main road so it’s safe for children and they can walk the distance, we had over 500 people last year and hopefully it will be better than last year.”

A programme for the event, which includes the scarecrow trail form, is £2.50 and the children's trail is £1.00 to enter. Programmes can be purchased from the community room and school hall, Poynder Place, Hilmarton between 10am and 4pm on both days.

The money raised from the festival will go to support nine-year-old Hilmarton primary school pupil Isobel Hodgkinson in her fight against cancer.

Isobel, from Goatacre, was diagnosed in November last year and is undergoing chemotherapy treatment. In January, her sister Ruby, 11, raised over £4,000 for childrens’ cancer charity Clic Sargent with a charity head shave.

Financial support will also be given to Hilmarton Primary School, Hilmarton pre-school and St Laurence Church.