Newstead in best kept village debut

Parish council chairman Coun Trish Wise stressed that the chief aim this year was to encourage Newstead people to take a pride in their village and do their bit to keep it tidy.

She said: “This is just the beginning. We hope entering the competition will bring people together - not just a pretty village but one where residents are more in contact.

“If there is a mindset that it does not matter what the village looks like, we want that to change,” she added

But the parish council stress that for this year at least, they are entering mainly for the experience of being involved.

They do not expect that this year will see Newstead follow in the footsteps of its picturesque neighbour, Linby, which became the county’s champion village in 2013.

The parish council arranged a walkabout to find unsightly hotspots needing priority attention.