THE scarecrows are coming! Drivers passing through Walton-le-Dale have been surprised by mysterious signs appearing along Higher Walton Road and a shadowy figure stood painting for hours on end in the porch of one house.

But don't worry, the new additions to the street this week are just part of a church festival, at nearby St Leonard's, in Church Brow.

The hightlight of the festival will be the 'scarecrow experience', with more than 30 stuffed figures performing tasks around the church hall.

David Ryan, co-ordinator of the Scarecrow Squad, a group of 15 families who are making the straw people ready for the event next week, said: "It all started last year when we had a week-long art exhibition. The church was open all week and we raised £1,100.

"This year the vicar said lets do something different. He came up with the idea."

Mr Ryan, a retired architect, is in charge of making the wooden frame that forms the shape of the scarecrow. In two months he has designed more than 30 of the figures, each in different poses, from a sitting child to a painter due to be suspended from the top of the church tower.

Then the other members of the scarecrow squad take over, and give the wooden frames clothes. When the exhibition is opened there will be 34 scarecrows set up around the church.

Among the collection will be an artist at work on an easel, a cleaner vacuuming up confetti, and a collection of wedding guest sat in the pews.

One of the most familiar models, though, is a recreation of the local vicar, Canon Roy McCullough!

Mr McCullough said: "It's just an amusement, really. We try and have some sort of attraction every year, and we have had flowers in the past.

"But this year we just decided on this scarecrow festival, and we have created scenes of parish life but built out of scarecrows!"

The event opens at the church on Monday, June 9, and runs until Friday, June 13. Admission is free.

Mr Ryan said: "We don't know of any churches that have done this, we like to be different.

"The clothes are all real. The painter has my smock on, so I can't do any painting this week!"