TWO areas of North Hampshire are in with a chance of becoming twinned with a popular fictitious village.

To celebrate the 30th anniversary of Sylvanian Families, the toy brand has undertaken a national search to find a village in Britain to twin with Sylvania – the fictitious rural paradise depicted in the collectible toy range.

Both Old Basing and Overton are two of 15 finalists, chosen by social media users who nominated villages by sending in idyllic photos which reminded them of the picturesque village of Sylvania.

Sylvanian Families is now asking the public to vote for the place that they would like to see twinned with Sylvania.

The winning village’s local primary school will receive 30 Sylvanian Families’ products, a year’s free membership to the Sylvanian Families Premium Fan Club for its pupils, as well as £500 worth of toys to sell at its village fete to raise money for the school.

The parish council will also be presented with a sign reading ‘Twinned with Sylvania’ at a twinning ceremony, complete with a visit from the Sylvanian Families characters.

Other shortlisted villages include Yatton in Bristol, Carleton in Yorkshire and Brimscombe in Gloucestershire.

To vote for a shortlisted village visit Sylvanian Families Facebook page woobox.com/cixsw4 before voting closes on August 1.

The winning village to be twinned with the fictitious village will be announced in September.