Rushall has been named the best kept village in Wiltshire regardless of size.

On Saturday delighted councillors and villagers received the Laurence Kitching Award presented by the Campaign to Protect Rural England as the winner of winners of the county’s best kept village contest.

Two years ago Rushall won the award for the best kept small village. About 50 villagers joined parish councillors and their chairman Richard Tilbury in the village hall for the awards presentation conducted by Col John Kitching, whose late fath-er instigated the award as Wiltshire CPRE chairman between 1976-79.

A certificate that goes with the award was presented by CPRE chair-man George McDonic to local landowner Nigel Wookey, who has made over part of a field as a cricket pitch for the village, helping it win the winner of winners award.

Another reason the village won, those at the ceremony were told, was its perseverance in fighting for a footpath, opened in January, so villagers no longer have to confront traffic on the main road.