A POPULAR village competition is in danger of becoming a victim of its own success as more and more communities compete for the 'Best Kept' crown.

The Best Kept Village Competition this year involves 124 villages - a 30 per cent increase since 1991 and a record in its history.

But now the competition faces a judging crisis as more and more areas clamour to enter.

Normally a team of judges visits a large village, such as Garstang, or two medium-sized villages or hamlets to assess.

But some of the teams are now having to look at more than one village, and if more judges aren't recruited ahead of next year's event, it is feared some villages may not be allowed to enter.

A spokesman for the competition, which is organised by the Community Council of Lancashire and sponsored by the Chorley and District Building Society, said: "This year we have asked some judges to look at three villages, which takes up more of their time.

"We need to recruit more judges for the year 2000 so the competition can continue to expand.

"The only other alternative is to restrict entry to the competition."

Various categories operate within the competition, varying from the best kept village to nicest public loo.

But this year, individuals are being given the chance to get their hands on some of the prizes by entering a new, spin-off contest.

Sets of photos are now on display in the Chorley and District Building Society's office in Leyland, and locals are being asked to identify villages purely from photos on the wall.

There are 16 photos in all, and a prize of £25 is available.

The spokesman added: "We hope these photos will not only help to recruit new judges but also make more people aware of how attractive Lancashire is and encourage more visitors into our villages."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.