WEEKS spent weeding, litter-picking, trimming and tidying has paid off for a village in North Lancashire, which has picked up the top accolade in a county-wide contest.

To the delight of residents, Over Kellet has been announced as the winner in the champion class of Lancashire's best kept village competition.

Parish councillor Margaret Fowler, who volunteered to help co-ordinate the village's entry, said everyone was " over the moon" to do so well.

Mrs Fowler, who found out the village had won on Saturday morning, said everyone was thrilled when the good news was announced at the horticultural show later that day.

The success comes after a concerted effort from a team of around six or seven villagers, who went out several evenings a week, during June, July and August, picking up litter from roadsides, cutting back overgrown hedges, pulling up weeds and tidying up footpaths.

Mrs Fowler said she took on the task of sprucing up the village after no-one else volunteered.

"I feel if we don't respect where we live we can't expect anyone else - visitors or people passing through - to respect it and help keep it clean either," she said.

Mrs Fowler thanked her team of helpers, which included Peter Thomas, Helen Thomas, Gill Leathley, Lynn Agnew and Ron Oswald, as well as everyone else who had done their bit.

"There were a lot of other people who weren't able to come out with us who tidied up when they were out and about," she added.

Over Kellet, which won best kept small village three years ago, was also praised for its amenities, with the village shop and war memorial both highly commended, and the village hall winning its community hall class.

In a letter to the winning village, judges said the village had looked magnificent when they visited in August.

" It's a credit to all residents of the village," the letter read.

"The village should be very proud of its achievement", it added.

Parish council clerk David Mills said Coun Fowler had put a tremendous amount of time and energy into co-ordinating the village effort and encouraging residents to keep the village tidy.

Also flying the flag for north Lancashire was Halton with Aughton, which was highly commended in the large village class.

An awards ceremony for winners will take place on Saturday, October 26, at West Bradford Village Hall.

As champion village winners, Over Kellet will receive a framed watercolour of their village by artist Gordon Wilkinson.