Gnosall is celebrating winning Staffordshire’s best-kept village title for the first time.

The village was announced as the best large village in the county at a ceremony at South Staffordshire College’s Rodbaston Campus last night.

Top small village was Whiston, near Cheadle. Suzanne Potts, leader of the 20-strong Gnosall best-kept village team, said: “We have been working hard since February making sure the village has been at its best.

“We couldn’t believe it when it was announced we had won for the county.

“We had not won the district title since 1997 – this has been a long time coming.”

Councillor Mary Booth, chairman of Gnosall Parish Council, said it was “brilliant” for the village, which has a population of 6,000.

Gnosall also won the district title for Stafford, with Salt winning the best small village award.

The Cannock Chase and Lichfield best large village and district winner was Kings Bromley, with Edingale best small village.

South Staffordshire district winner and best small village was Lapley, near Penkridge. Coven won the large village award.

Abbots Bromley won the district award for East Staffordshire.

John Perry, chairman of the Community Council of Staffordshire’s competition working group, said entries this year were down from 63 to 56 and he urged more villages to enter next year.

He said the working group was considering introducing a new category for urban villages next year and prizes for the best churchyard, pub and village green in the county.

Gnosall will be presented with its county Best Kept Village totem pole  by the community council at a ceremony in the autumn.

The village will also be receiving a new tree donated by Staffordshire Wildlife Trust.