Scarecrows draw visitors to Westbury Park as festival week kicks off

Seen the scarecrows of Westbury Park?

People are coming from miles around to see the fantastic display which is part of the Westbury Park Festival which goes on all week.

The organisers of this year's festival asked as many people as possible to build a scarecrow and stick it up in their front garden. This year's theme is recycling and many have been made from old materials.

Judging by the Rev Canon John Bowes, a former vicar of St Alban's Church, will take place during the week and the winner will receive a family pass to Longleat.

Look out for the scarecrows in Bayswater Road and Bayswater Avenue, Devonshire Road, Dundonald Road, Berkley Road, Canowie Road, Coldharbour Road, Cossins Road and Cranbrook Road, Egerton Road, Etloe Road, Harcourt Road, Henleaze Avenue, Howard Road, Palmerston Road and St Albans Road.

You will also find them at venues including Westbury Park Primary School and Daisy Chain Nursery, the Split Tin Bakery and outside the Red House Children's Centre.

See if you can spot them all!

Over the weekend a street party was held at St Christopher's School, which is marking its 75th anniversary. The school is one of the festival's supported charities this year.

And last night Bristol-based jazz band Hélélé went down a storm at St Alban's Church Hall. 

Tomorrow at 4pm the Monday Afternoon Fellowship, which meets at St Alban's Church Hall, is having an open afternoon. Also known as St Oswald's Fellowship or simply the 'MAF', it is a long-established social club for the over-50s and meets every Monday afternoon with a different speaker.

For festival week they have invited the renowned Muskrats, billed as the 'oldest band in the land', and are throwing the doors open to anyone who wants to listen, whatever their age.

Tomorrow night Westbury Park School pupils are in concert at 6.30pm at St Alban's Church and on Tuesday a family picnic and games are planned on Durdham Downs at 4pm, weather permitting.

There will be Music and Pimms on Wednesday evening in St Alban's churchyard and on Thursday a free two-hour history walk led by Jeff Bishop, a long-time resident who has written several books tracing the development of Westbury Park, will start from the junction of Etloe Road and Royal Albert Road at 6pm.

There is a quiz night on Friday from 8pm to 10.30pm at St Alban's Church Hall. Form your own team (maximum six people) or come along and join a table or form a team on the night.

The church hall and bar will be open from 7.30pm and tickets are £1 per person.

On Saturday from 2pm to 5pm Bayswater Avenue will host a street party and a festival service wil be held on Sunday at 10.15am at St Alban's Church.

Also on Sunday is Westbury Park Open Gardens - last year's event saw hundreds of visitors visiting local gardens despite heavy showers and it is hoped there will be an even better turnout this year.