Bodies lie everywhere. They are not moving. Some have limbs missing. Many are in various states of undress. But this is not a scene from a war zone. This is a back room and a garden in Wharfedale.

It's Monday, August 4 and the village looks peaceful enough. Nestling in the shadow of Great Whernside stands little Kettlewell, which also found fame as the setting for the Calendar Girls film.

There are holidaymakers around, the caravan site is full and the three pubs are busy, but the world is moving at vacation pace. This weekend, though, everything changes when Kettlewell becomes flooded with people, and it's all down to one of the villagers' mothers and an idea that was born in Lancashire. The Kettlewell Scarecrow Festival starts today and 20,000 tourists will be making their annual pilgrimage to see the straw men, women and children.

They lurk around every corner, on riverbanks, up fells and anywhere that the residents have dreamed up for them this year. The visitors decipher clues as part of a trail, while taking advantage of the refreshments on offer at the village hall and the pubs.

Jennie Howarth is the woman whose idea, through her mother, started it all.

"I was chairman of the friends of the school when my mum rang to tell me that she'd seen a brilliant way of making money for the village.

"She had been over to Wray, in Lancashire, and seen their Scarecrow Festival. One of the ladies in Kettlewell was having a little fun day that year, so I made a little scarecrow, using some of my children's old clothes to dress it, and sat it on a tractor. I took it to the next meeting and said we could combine the fun day with a scarecrow day. That's how it all started.

"These days I store the bodies from one year to the next and buy lots of material and clothes from charity shops ready for the next year. Brides and bridesmaids' dresses are the most difficult things to find, and they're usually the most expensive."

The festival has grown far beyond the organisers original expectations. The second year it became a weekend event, then it was held over two consecutive weekends until it was decided to join up the remaining days in the middle and put it on throughout the nine days. Last year they made more than £20,000.

Lizzie Sowden runs Pennycroft Guest House in the village and believes the festival is as much about the community spirit that exists in Kettlewell as it is about the tourists.

"Everyone contributes in some way, whether by baking the hundreds of cakes we now need, or manning the car parks. And, of course, everyone has a scarecrow or three. We even make sure that the holiday lets, which account for about 40 per cent of the village properties, have a scarecrow, too.

"Last year, I made a policeman with a speed camera and it was fantastic because every time somebody was driving past you could hear the screech of cars as drivers must have thought they were going to be caught."

The first scarecrow day took place in 1994, but by 1998 it had grown to such an extent that the 16 families involved with the school at the time felt unable to run the event successfully on their own. The village committee was formed as a result, with representatives from the school, which has 27 pupils today, St Mary's Church and the village hall. All three benefit from the funds raised by the festival.

"The village hall turns into a café. We all do our stint – this year I'm on car park duty. During festival week we could fill all of the accommodation in the village 10 times over," says Lizzie. She came to the village five years ago and started her bed and breakfast establishment last year, but in that time she has seen how committed everyone is to the festival. "We are very lucky here. We really do have a great time and in the winter, when the tourists aren't generally here, the village is still very active, with dances and events.

"Jennie is one of those people who really cares about the village, the church, the village hall and tries to keep the community things going."

The theme of this year's festival is pop stars, although the old favourites such as wedding scenes and Dennis the Menace are still there. But when I visited no-one was giving much away about which new scarecrows would be making their appearance. "I can't tell you that!" says Jennie. "You'll just have to come along to find out."


Kettlewell

Factfile

Grassington five miles

Aysgarth 14 miles

On the B6160 between Grassington and Aysgarth

Whernside and Buckden Pike close by

Three pubs: King's Head, Blue Bell and Racehorses

Village shop

Post office

Village store

Café

Village hall.

The Kettlewell Scarecrow festival is August 9-17. Further information: www.kettlewell.info