VILLAGERS across the county celebrated as their communities were crowned winners of Dorset’s Best Village Competition.

Contestants and councillors gathered at Cerne Abbas Village Hall on Tuesday evening for the 30th ceremony of the annual contest.

Taking home the Best Small Village Award for 2016 was the West Dorset village of Askerswell, with the Large Village Award going to Portesham.

Each year the contest is organised by Dorset Community Action, a voluntary organisation that receives sponsorship from Magna Housing along with other local businesses including The Dorset Echo.

Reporter George Smith presented a prize to the winners for the Echo-sponsored Previous Winners category.

In this category Loders bagged the award for Best Small Village and the title of Best Large Village was once again claimed by Pimperne.

Competition organiser Rita Burden said: “We had a marvellous evening topped off by the 30 year celebration. Our aim this year to encourage communities to continue taking part in this competition has been achieved.”

In addition to the best village awards, there were four other categories designed to champion community involvement and development.

These were broken down into the The People’s Project, Environmental champion, Best Village Shop, and a Neighbourliness award.

Drovers Inn, Gussage All Saints won the People’s Project Award, with West Parley being announced the Environmental Champions.

Corfe Castle took the honour of having the best village shop in the county, and Iwerne Minster was crowned the most neighbourly village in Dorset.

This year there was also a special award designated to a village from North, South, East and West as a memorial for Cllr. John Wilson who died earlier this year.

As Chairman of Dorset County Council, Cllr Wilson supported the competition for many years and attended a number of the events.

Additional sponsorship came from Dorset County Council, Dorset Magazine, Blackmore Vale Magazine, Co-operative Stores, along with local food producers Clipper Tea, Fudges Biscuits, Honeybuns, Craig’s Dairies and Helen Furness Catering.