AN ALL-STAR team of Olympic and Paralympic inspired scarecrows will be one of the highlights of this year’s Over Allotments Association open day.

Schoolchildren throughout Winsford have created the imaginative athletes for the group’s annual community event at Moss Bank between 10am-4pm on Saturday, July 14.

Among Team Winsford are some inventive allusions to the greats of track and field, including High Street School’s ode to world record breaking long jumper, ‘Bob Beanman’.

Meanwhile, Over Hall primary have served up another ace with pun with the arch nemesis of tennis umpires, ‘John McEncrow’.

Elsewhere will feature Darnhall’s ‘Triathlon Tom’, Willow Wood’s cyclist ‘Extreme Erin’ and ‘Blade Runner’ – Hebden Green’s scarecrow based on South African Paralympic sprint runner Oscar Pistorius.

Children throughout the town have been working hard during the past few weeks to create the seven-foot tall sportsmen and women, and compete for the coveted Harris Shield for Best Scarecrow.

At 12pm, Winsford Mayor, Clr Steve Smith, will announce the winner, and hand out first, second and third placed prizes for the best sporting creations.

Reining champions are St Chad’s school, who are hoping to named cream of the crop again this year with ‘Jamie Wheelbarrow’ – a green-fingered reference to British snowboarding ace Jamie Barrow.

As well as the scarecrow trail, visitors to the open day will be able to visit cookery demonstrations and taster sessions being held by Ellesmere Port’s NHS Healthy Living Centre.

Cookery demos will be: 11am, courgette soup; 1pm, healthy Bolognese; 2pm, green salad and dressing.

Cheshire West and Chester council are providing free ingredient bags for people to take away so they can make their own nutritious allotment-inspired meals at home.

The Mayor will also officially open the Jubilee Communal Plot – a joint Lottery, town council and Allotments Association funded venture, featuring a 28ft polytunnel with growing areas for disabled plot holders, a shop stocked with allotment essentials, hi-tech composting toilet and a green-thinking recycle area.

Home grown produce will be for sale during the day, including cakes, jams and preserves. There will also be a tombola raffle, tool sharpening, and snail racing.

A percentage of profits made on the day will go St Luke’s Hospice.

Entrances to the Allotments are on Moss Bank and Alexandra Street.