A SIGN welcoming visitors to a village near Ledbury has been repaired and re-sighted by volunteers.

The Wellington Heath Best Kept Village sign, awarded to the village a number of years ago, has been restored by Denise Wright and Jeremy Newby, who repaired its post and put it back where it belongs.

The pair got involved after becoming dismayed at the dilapidated condition it was in.

The Herefordshire Best Kept Village Competition no longer exists, but during its heyday Wellington Heath regularly won its category.

It won for the first time in 1980 and then continuously from 1988 to 2002.

The sign, which had been lopsided and leaning over, had been affectionately known as the "drunken sign" by residents including Peter Constantine, who back in February lamented a lack of action to replace it.

At the time, he said: "Restoration of the village signs at the entrance to the Parish on Ledbury Road and Raycombe Lane had been on the Parish Council agenda last year though no proposals have surfaced so far.

"The Best Kept Village sign was also discussed as it is looking old and decrepit; a very much faded glory.

"It celebrates success in the Herefordshire Best Kept Village competition between 1988 and 2002.

"This competition previously run by the Campaign to Protect Rural England seems to have fizzled out and the sign, now leaning drunkenly, with peeling paint, seemingly indicates a lack of village interest rather than of proud advertisement."