VILLAGES in Wiltshire have taken one step closer to being named as Wiltshire's best-kept as the results of the first round of judging are announced.

This year’s CPRE Wiltshire and The Hills Group Best Kept Village competition started with 28 villages judged in small, medium and large categories.

They have been put under the microscope by an expert team of judges who are looking for criteria including tidiness, cleanliness, presentation and village community spirit.

One village, Castle Eaton, has already won a £150 cash prize after being named this year’s Best Newcomer.

Mike Manson, from CPRE Wiltshire, said: “The parish councils and their volunteers had clearly been hard at work, achieving encouragingly high standards and making the judges’ task that much more difficult.

"This competition could not take place without the very generous contributions of our sponsors, The Hills Group and Princeton Homes, the support of Wiltshire Council and the immense hard work put in by individual parish councils and villagers."

Each village is judged within their own district in the first round and winners will each receive a certificate.

In July, they will be judged against similar-sized villages in other districts to determine Wiltshire's best-kept.

Also in July, the Laurence Kitching Award will be judged. This involves the six villages who won their size categories in the past two competitions in 2018 and 2019 and which are therefore ineligible for the main competition.Second round results will be published in August.

CPRE Wiltshire’s President, the Lord Lieutenant for Wiltshire, Mrs Sarah Rose Troughton, will present the awards on Sunday, September 26 to the three overall winners. Cash prizes between £30 and £200 will be awarded to all villages in the second round.

These are the first round results:

North Wiltshire and Swindon

Large Villages: 1st Blunsdon, 2nd = Tadpole Garden Village Box, 2nd = Brinkworth, 4th Box. Medium Villages: 1st Oaksey, 2nd Dauntsey. Small Villages: 1st Castle Eaton, 2nd Hankerton, 3rd Marston Meysey, 4th Upper & Lower Seagry.

Kennet

Large Villages: 1st Ramsbury, 2nd Seend, 3rd Bromham, 4th Rowde. Medium Villages: 1st All Cannings, 2nd Froxfield. Small Villages: 1st Woodborough, 2nd Rushall, 3rd Ham.

West Wiltshire

Large Villages: 1st Hilperton (only entrant). Medium Villages: 1st Sutton Veny (only entrant). Small Villages: 1st Bishopstrow, 2nd Bulkington, 3rd Beanacre.

South Wiltshire

Large Villages: 1st Whiteparish (only entrant). Medium Villages: 1st Tilshead, 2nd Maiden Bradley, 3rd Dinton. Small Villages: No entrants.