A MOBBERLEY star is hoping to prove he is the most outstanding in his field to win a role in an Emmerdale ad.

McCain has launched a nationwide hunt for the next Emmerdale ident star and has invited Mobberley Scarecrow Festival to send a ‘star-crow’ to its first scarecrow audition being held in the heart of London’s West End on September 30.

The overall winner of Mobberley Scarecrow Festival 2014 will join scarecrows from across the UK in making the journey to the capital, where they will be put through their paces in a series of gruelling auditions live in front celebrity judge and ex-Emmerdale star Sheree Murphy.

The lucky winner will appear as an extra in the next series of Emmerdale sponsorship bumpers alongside McCain favourites, ‘Spade Head’ and ‘Bucket Head’, plus they will also win £5,000 for their village to spend on the next Scarecrow festival in 2015.

Sheree and fellow judges will be assessing the hopeful scarecrows on everything from their creative design, originality, colour and good looks.

Sarah Sherwood and Julie Collins, organisers of Mobberley Scarecrow Festival, said: “We’re delighted to have been invited by McCain to audition for the role. We know our scarecrow will have star quality and we are sure he will be able to go all the way and bring home the trophy from London.

“We can’t wait to see him up on the big screen.”

Scarecrows will be popping up all over the village in the next fortnight in preparation for the festival, which is in its third year.

The festival will run from September 15 to October 15 and the overall winner – and the McCain entry - will be decided by a panel of judges made up of school children from Mobberley Primary school.

Money raised through entry fees will be donated to The Mobberley Trust and a donation will also be made to Residents Against Mobberley Sprawl (RAMS).

The closing date for entries is September 5. For more information about Mobberley Scarecrow Festival, or to download an entry form, click here