Residents across Downley have been busy creating Scarecrows as an annual three-week village festival celebrating arts and culture gets underway this weekend.

The Up Downley Festival will kick off with Downley Day on Saturday, June 17 as a number of show stopping acts are welcomed onto the common, including circus tricks, musical performances and a dog show.

This year Downley Day will pay tribute to former Batley and Spen MP Jo Cox, who was murdered in June last year, by taking part in the national Great Get Together in the tea tent on the common.

A festival favourite for organiser Les Root is the comedy event, headlined by Mark Watson, on Saturday, June 21, and the scarecrow competition.

He said: “It is a three week festival which combines things like a fetes, comedy, music, and food events and a scarecrow competition for all ages.

“It started off about four or five years ago as part of Downley Day which is an annual fete then a few community members decided to set up an art show and it expanded from there.

“It is to build the community support, to support various charities. We try to keep them within the High Wycombe area. One of the events is for Hearing Dogs for Deaf people which is based in Saunderton.”

The festival also includes the Downley Open Studio event running from Sunday, June 25 to Saturday, August 8 during which villagers can enjoy the work of artists based in the area.

Mr Root added: “It is hard to say which is my favourite part – the comedy is always good and I really like the scarecrows. We had about 100 people at the comedy last year. It is all just a very light hearted event.

“So everyone please come along– we would like to see everyone in the village there.”

For a full list of events visit http://festival.downley.org/