DORSET villagers celebrated their communities at the Dorset Best Village Awards.

Dozens of residents, councillors and judges attended this year’s awards ceremony at Puddletown Village Hall for the 27th annual competition, backed by the Dorset Echo.

The judges were out and about for three months inspecting villages earlier this year and the results were a guarded secret until the presentation ceremony yesterday evening.

Rita Burden, competition organiser, said: “I want to say a big thank you to all the communities that entered this year and to all those dedicated volunteers who continue to support and maintain the communities around them.

“Without these people we wouldn’t have a competition.”

A total of 55 villages entered the competition and Tincleton bagged the Small Village Award with the Large Village Award going to Child Okeford and Alton Pancras taking the Hamlets Award.

Tincleton resident Francis Copeman collected the award on behalf of his village.

He said: “I was very surprised, we’ve been runners up quite a few times but this is the first time I’ve seen us win.

“It’s wonderful for the village, everyone has worked really hard and it’s a great community.”

Parish Councillor Wendy Addley of Child Okeford said: “I’m really pleased and surprised because there was a lot of competition, it was a really high standard.”

The competition and awards evening has been organised by Dorset Community Action since 1987.

Four years ago, Dorset’s largest housing association, Magna, became the major sponsor for the competition and has renewed its support for 2013 and 2014.

Adam Peat, Magna chairman, said: “I was delighted to hear that the number of entries was 55 compared to 43 last year.

“This competition is alive and vital and responding to real needs.

“Some of the newer categories have had a really exciting level of entries and we have seen excellent winners in all categories.”

In addition to the best village categories there were two special awards – Peoples Project Award for the best village project involving local people and Environmental Champions Award, the village with the greenest project.

The joint winners of the Environmental Champions Award was Thornford’s Trees from seeds and Powerstock’s The Hut, the Peoples Project Award went to Broadwindsor’s Community Shop with Puddletown’s Community Library taking second prize.

Dorset Best Village Awards 2013 winners

East Dorset Special Award - Alderholt

North Dorset Special Award - Shillingstone

Purbeck District Council Special Award - Church Knowle

West Dorset District Council Special Award - Puncknowle

New Entrant - Buckland Newton

Peoples Project Award - runner-up Puddletown Community Library, winner Broadwindsor Community Shop

Environmental Champions Award - joint winners Thornford Trees from seeds and Powerstock The Hut

Previous Winners Small Village - Briantspuddle (Dorset Echo Award)

Previous Winners Large Village - Winterborne Kingston (Dorset Echo Award)

Hamlets Award - Alton Pancras

Small Village Award - third Loders, runner up Wooton Fitzpaine, winner Tincleton

Large Village Award - third Martinstown, runner up Charlton Marshall and winner Child Okeford

Dorset Couny Council Winners Plaques - Small Village, Tincleton, and Large Village, Child Okeford