An ex-straw-ordinary love story has gripped the citizens of Fife’s East Neuk.
Hundreds of people are in a flap over the tale of Worzel and Sally, a diminutive pair of scarecrows.
The courting couple have been making hay around the village of Elie during a whirlwind romance, ahead of its annual scarecrow festival.
And stone the crows, just over a week after meeting through a dating agency, they are planning their wedding in the local church.
Elie Scarecrow Festival has posted a series of photographs on its Facebook page of the dolls taken around the coastal community and created a story which has averaged 1,000 views each update.
Spokesman Peter Wilson said: “It has created a real buzz and it’s been great fun doing all these wacky things and photographing them in all sorts of places.”
Next Friday around 50 scarecrows will go on display in gardens, shops, businesses and public places around the village.
The popular annual event draws visitors from miles around who can follow a mapped trail to see the straw creations.
The dolls were knitted for the festival by local resident Joan Bell and Mr Wilson said: “When I saw them I thought we could have a lot of fun with them and do something to raise the profile of the festival.
“It has generated interest and we have had more entries since the story started.
“It has also got people reminiscing about Elie. One woman saw the photograph of them outside the church and told us about how she got married there many years ago.”
Worzel and Sally’s romance began when a despondent and lonely Worzel, who had never made much of an impression on the birds, began internet dating.
Sally arrived in Elie on a bus and was taken on a date to a local restaurant by her captivated beau.
The morning after they were pictured recovering from their revelry on a bench overlooking the beach.
Frisky Worzel has even been pictured nipping into the chemist for something for the weekend and, fed-up with fields, love-struck Sally has been house-hunting.
Unlike other scarecrows, Worzel doesn’t believe in standing around, so he popped the question within days.
Members of the public have been invited to guess the scarecrows’ wedding date, which will be announced at the prize-giving ceremony on the final day of the festival, May 2.
Funds raised will go towards Elie Fayre Day in July.
