PIMPERNE was named the overall winner at the 16th prize-giving of the Dorset Village of the Year awards last night.

The village won first place in the Dorset Best Kept Village competition with Charminster second and Sturminster Marshall third.

Village representative Peter Slocombe, chairman of Pimperne Parish Council, said: "I would like to thank everybody who does all the hard work, especially the people who look after the churchyard and sports ground, it's a great team effort."

Twenty-six villages scored more than 90 per cent, with the top villages being separated by less than one per cent.

Wootton Fitzpaine took first place in the small village category of the Best Kept Village competition, with Loders second and Iwerne Courtney third.

In the Best Community Village contest, which considers activities available to its residents, Burton Bradstock was best large village and Child Okeford second and Charminster third.

Coun Elise Ripley, representing Burton Bradstock, said: "We are especially delighted to have won the community village prize, as we are looking at many more developments for our younger people.

"We have had a good year and amongst our greatest achievements was buying the village post office and keeping it open."

Loders won the first prize for the best small village group, with Milton Abbas and East Morden coming second and Tincleton third.

Pippa Davis, a Loders parish councillor, said: "We're pleased to have won yet again and I would like to thank the whole village for their part in this."

In the coveted Previous Winners' Competition, sponsored by the Dorset Echo, first prizes went to Child Okeford and Askerswell.

The judges put forward Child Okeford as the Dorset nomination for the regional finals, sponsored by Calor Gas, which carries a prize of £1,500 with the overall national winner receiving £6,000.

Sylvia Holdeman, chairman of Child Okeford parish council, said: "We are absolutely delighted with our win and we are very proud of the village.

"I would like to thank all our villagers, and remember the late Chris Charles, who died tragically last month in a road accident. He did a great deal of hard work preparing our presentation and he would have been very proud of us tonight."

The prizes were presented by Councillor Mary Penfold, chairman of West Dorset District Council, who said: "I would just like to thank everyone for a fantastic evening which brings everyone together and which everyone enjoys.

"There has been an excellent local community effort, which improves the county we live in."

And organiser Frank 'Cas' Cade, now in his tenth year of running the contest, said: "Everyone connected with the competition should feel pride in this level of achievement and a reward for all the work involved in making their villages better places to live."