CARNIVAL organisers in Marlborough are predicting this year's parade will have the best costumes the town has ever seen after winning a £4,900 National Lottery grant.

The money from the lottery's Awards For All scheme is specifically for running costume workshops.

Carnival chairman Rob Dickens said he was amazed that the carnival's lottery bid had been successful.

He said: "It's not often that anything like this comes Marlborough's way.

"Other towns always get this sort of thing and not Marlborough so it has come as a bit of a surprise."

Devizes Carnival Committee had a similar grant for costumes last year.

Marlborough carnival has already asked Alex Grant, from the Salisbury-based community arts group Toozalii, to run the workshops that it is hoped will take place at the Youth Centre.

The grant is given on condition that all sections of the community are involved, in the workshops, including people with learning difficulties and special needs.

The carnival secretary, Angie Dickens, said: "We are writing to the schools, youth clubs and minority groups to try to get them involved."

Full details of the workshops will be published as soon as they are finalised.