VILLAGERS in Cookley are celebrating after winning a prestigious county competition to mark efforts in the community.

The Cookley 2000 Millennium Festival Committee beat off more than 20 competitors to win the Community Pride contest, as well as a millennium award, in an event organised by Worcestershire County Council and the Environment Agency.

Rock Parish Council won one of the four millennium awards for visiting every house in the area to gather information for a map.

The Cookley group was presented with cheques for £500 and £100 at a ceremony at County Hall on Tuesday.

In the past year, Cookley residents have been treated to a firework display and maypole dancing. They also built a giant £6,500, 16ft clock at the Lea Lane-Castle Road junction. Money was raised during a fun day last year when schoolchildren also planted 2,000 bluebells in a coppice next to the parish hall.

Committee secretary Shirley Monger said: "The judges told us the amount of youngsters involved in the scheme helped swing the vote in our favour.

"I would like to thank everyone who helped. We have recorded these events in a leather book which is being kept in St Peter's Church."