Villagers are pulling out all the stops in a bid to win the Best Kept Village title for the third year running.

Green-fingered villagers in Coven spent hours last week planting out tubs with colourful bedding plants around the village after collecting hundreds of pounds through fundraising. Coven was declared South Staffordshire’s Best Kept Village in 2005 and 2006.

Parish councillor Yvonne Millward said the village had a good chance of winning three top prizes in a row.

A dance held at the memorial hall last month raised £534 and £100 awarded to the committee for winning last year’s competition has paid for a new bench close to the hall. One villager also donated £200 in memory of her husband.

The final round of judging will take place in July.