It’s a big week for Dalston – and visitors have been sampling all the fun and activities on offer.

Scarecrows have been stalking the rural community, near Carlisle, while flower displays are providing a rainbow of colours.

Then tomorrow Dalston Show will take place – another major date in the county’s agricultural calendar.

The village has been a flurry of activity this week with the staging of Dalston Festival, which has seen people come from far and wide to enjoy themselves.

It is one of the highpoints of the village’s year and is organised by a committee of 12 volunteers, along with some help from the village’s different clubs and groups.

Among the highlights this year was the scarecrow festival which saw 52 different creations go on display around the village.

Alongside the scarecrows there were a number of decorated garden gates, decorated wheelbarrows and a mini-flower festival in the church.

The overall theme of this year’s event was Britain in Bloom – as the village is one of the national finalists in the competition.

Judges from the Royal Horticultural Society were welcomed to Dalston on Monday to inspect the village’s entry.

Alan Dinning, chairman of the recreation and festival committee, said: “Right through the week we’ve had lots of different things on.

“We’ve had barbecues and the gala day on the Recreation Ground which had about 400 people there.

“This year all parts of the community have come together.

“We had a cricket match on the green where we had senior residents against the younger people.

“We had a Twenty20 match and it was marvelous.”

The festival officially started on Saturday and will close on Sunday.

“It takes a lot of hard work and people to organise.

“We will start next week on next year’s festival to get everything booked.

“It’s always been very popular, we will have had about 500 or 600 people here looking at the scarecrows alone.”

Tonight’s festivities involve a huge get-together on the village square and brings together live music, barbecues and stalls.

On Sunday to finish off the festival there is a thanksgiving service in the church.

The festival always coincides with Dalston Show, which will take place tomorrow (Saturday).

There’s a bustling and vibrant programme of events on the cards at this year’s family event.

It will highlight the best in local agriculture and skills as well as bringing together craftspeople selling everything from pots and pans to garden furniture and country clothing.

Over in the industrial marquee, visitors will be treated to everything from embroidery to photography and flower arranging to vegetables.

The 2,000 entries will be housed in a 250ft marquee with trophies handed out to those who have caught the eye of the judges.