Locals had plenty to crow about despite scary-looking intruders populating their village last weekend.

The 13th Flamstead Scarecrow Festival drew thousands of visitors who flocked to see clever – and artistic – versions of the famous, including Marilyn Monroe, and the not-so-famous, for example in the form of a humble police officer.

Since beginning in 2002 the event has raised close to £100,000 for charity, benefiting Herts Multiple Sclerosis Therapy Centre in Letchworth and the Friends of St Leonard’s, the parish church charity.

Usually over 90 scarecrows are produced by Flamstead villagers, which are displayed throughout the area.

Paul McMahon, chairman of the scarecrow festival committee, said: “We don’t set any rules or regulations, and there is no theme. Quite a few of this year’s scarecrows were based on Disney film, Frozen, and there are some of the old favourites, such as Darth Vader and Shrek.”

Visitors to the event, which ran from Friday to Sunday, walked around the village, selected their favourite scarecrow and voted for it.

A display based on the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War was voted into second place.

Paul said that 2,250 voting forms were returned to organisers, and about 5,000 people attended the event.