The community of Helmdon is celebrating winning the Northamptonshire Village of the Year award for 2002.

Helmdon was chosen over 69 other villages who were competing for the award and will now go through to the regional competition in 2003.

The Village of the Year competition is sponsored by Calor Gas and organised by Northamptonshire Action with Communities in Rural England (ACRE).

Any village can take part in the competition which is judged in various categories.

The competition is not about picture-postcard villages or neatness, but about the people living in the villages and the community spirit that those people generate.

Helmdon has previously picked up the county award in 1996 and 1999.

Chairman of the Helmdon Parish Council, Peter Burns, was presented with the Lady O'Dowd trophy in a ceremony on September 26th.

He said: "I was very pleased to accept the award on behalf of the village. This is the village's award, won by all the people of Helmdon, everyone should be very proud of their achievement."

Brackley Post - 4th October 2002