Acton Trussell celebrates village win

Picturesque Acton Trussell, near Stafford, was crowned the 'Tidiest Small Village' for the whole of Staffordshire at the Best Kept Village Awards ceremony.

It is the second year running that the village, located just off the M6, has won the award.

The Staffordshire Best Kept Village Awards, organised by the Community Council of Staffordshire's dedicated working group, sees villagers compete in the competition which aims to promote cleanliness - taking the very best care of the private and public spaces - and pride in communities.

The annual competition, which this year celebrated its 60th anniversary, saw a total of 58 villages compete throughout the Staffordshire county.

Judging took place earlier in the summer.

Malcolm Nicholas, aged 72, who helped lead Acton Trussell's entry to the competition this year along with friend and fellow resident Sue Calvert said it was a night to remember at Stafford College on Monday.

"It's a fantastic feeling to have won again - we as a team could not be more happier," he said.

"It was a surprise because there are many great villages here who in their own right deserve to win the award.

"We have had 18 people come and help out clean the village to make the village look as beautiful it can be. The community spirit shown has been fantastic and it's great for the judges to have seen that.

"We've had a number of people donate their spend time to help win this award. It just shows how much care there is for village."

The night also proved a special one for villagers in Haughton near Stafford who won the best large village for Staffordshire for a fifth time.

John Perry, from the competition's working group, said: "I would like to thank all the villages which entered BKV this year and all the people who worked hard throughout the spring and summer months to achieve such high standards."