LYDFORD will appear on TV on Monday afternoon as part of a series presented by Penelope Keith celebrating village life.

The community features in the very first episode of the Village of the Year series on Channel 4 on Monday afternoon at 3pm.

The series sees Penelope and her team of three judges – historian Alex Langlands, garden designer Juliet Sergeant and Great British Sewing Bee presenter Patrick Grant – visit villages across the country shortlisted for heart and soul as well as good looks.

They are searching for one winner to be crowned Village of the Year, with a prize of £10,000 to spend in their community.

Juliet Sergeant, who broke ground as the first black designer at the Chelsea Flower Show, is the judge who visits Lydford.

She takes part in jousting at Lydford Castle with reenactment enthusiast, and local farmer Ben. She also shares a cream tea with Pat, who has lived in the village since she came to be a schoolteacher at the primary school in 1956.

This week’s episodes concentrate on the South West, with an episode at 3pm daily from Monday to Friday, culminating in a show next Saturday night at 8pm. Many beauty spots in the Westcountry are featured, including Mousehole in Cornwall, Charmouth in East Devon and Porlock in Somerset.