IN PICTURES: Let it crow! Elsa is allotment show star

So with creative licence allotment holders in Stourbridge decided to come up with their own scarecrows to raise money for charity.

Members of Amblecote Allotments designed their own scarecrows for a competition with their final outcomes celebrated at a fun day at the weekend.

More than 20 plot holders from the site in School Drive took part in the competition with some spending days on their designs.

With a range of straw and clothing they ranged from 3ft to 7ft tall.

The winner was Jenny Hunt who came up with two gardeners, a male and female called Herb and Rose. The second place was of one boy and his dog.

A scarecrow version of Elsa from Disney's hit film Frozen was one of the crowd's favourites in the event.

The best was selected last week but a festival was held at the allotments, which have more than 100 plots, at the weekend.

There was a barbecue, face painting and tombola with the aim of raising funds which could be passed on to Hall Green Retired Greyhound Trust and Wild Acre Rescue.

One of the retired greyhounds, Jim, aged six yearsold, is in need of a new home and was at the event.

Lettings secretary at Amblecote Allotments, Marie Whitehouse, said the scarecrow theme had gone down well.

"We were thinking what can we do that is associated with allotments that is a bit of fun," she said.

"They were really good, people put a lot of time in and really made an effort with their scarecrows," she said.

She added that there was a good atmosphere amongst those at the allotments, which have been running since the 1940s.

"It is very, very friendly, people who came from sites on Saturday said how friendly it is and community spirited."