East Sussex village of the year revealed

Alfriston and Mayfield also picked up prizes at the awards event on Friday.

Herstmonceux collected a regional award.

Community leaders lined up to pay tribute to the work of the volunteers who give their time to boost local quality of life in their villages.

The competition, sponsored by Calor, aims to celebrate the villages which are best at working together to boost local quality of life.

Awards for the Sussex competition were set in three categories according to the number of residents. The winners were:

Up to 1,000; East Sussex '“ Alfriston; West Sussex - Tillington

1,001to 5m000; East Sussex '“ Rotherfield; West Sussex '“ Fernhurst

5001 to 10,000; East Sussex - Forest Row; West Sussex - Storrington

The judges also awarded Mayfield a runners-up prizes of 75 each in the second category.

Action in Rural Sussex Chief Executive Jeremy Leggett: 'Village of the Year is not about pretty, its not about floral displays or picture postcard views '“ it is about active communities who look after everybody in the community '“ it's about communities that work.'

Last year's county winner was Herstmonceux. As the East Sussex nominee to the 2006/7 Calor Village of the Year for England competition, Herstmonceux has been awarded a regional category award for Information Communication Technology and representatives of the village were presented with 500 prize money and a framed commemorative certificate in recognition of their success at the county awards evening.