VILLAGERS in All Cannings are delighted at their triumph in the first round of the annual Best Kept Village competition, and are being urged to keep up the good work as the judges make a second visit this month.

Out of 40 entries into the Hills Group-sponsored competition, All Cannings was named at the first place winner in the Medium category for the Kennet area. After its win in 2013 and picking up the Laurence Kitching award in 2015, the village is delighted to be on track for success for yet another year..

Parish clerk Kate Ashby, 37, of Chandlers Close, said: “We have a very active community and parish council and the news has been keeping the buzz going. I am just waiting to see how we do, we have the plaques at the village hall from previous years.”

The parish council has been working with the villagers throughout the year to keep everything looking clean and tidy.

“It was quite good for me to plan the walk for the judges, everyone has been working hard this year. We have been doing organised litter picks, like the Clean for the Queen event, it’s just that kind of place. The second round of judging takes place over the next couple of weeks so we will have to just wait and see. It’s all new to me as I have only been the clerk since October,” added Mrs Ashby.

Although the competition may be stiff, Mrs Ashby has said that the competition is exciting for the village.

“It would be lovely to get a place in the final round of the judging. Wiltshire is such a beautiful place so it might be a bit of a tough competition,” she added.

All Cannings now competes for the county title, where it is up against Biddestone, Edington and Dinton, near Salisbury to be the top village with a population of 300-1,000 people. The village collects a £200 prize as the local winner, beating Milton Lilbourne into second place.

Bromham won second place in the Large village category for the Kennet area, with Great Bedwyn taking the top spot and Ramsbury coming third.