Thousands of people converged on Pewsey on Saturday evening for the illuminated carnival procession.

Among those taking part for the first time were members of the Devizes Apollo Majorettes.

The group has taken part in Devizes, Bromham and Melksham carnivals and leader Sadie Dix said: "We decided we wanted to give it a go. Pewsey Carnival has an excellent reputation."

Members of Devizes Opportunity Centre, a group of parents with children with special needs, were taking part for the second time.

The theme of the centre's entry was 'Once upon a time' and Fiona Hyslop pushed her two-and-a-half-year-old son, Seth, dressed as Peter Pan, in his pram.

A group of young men from Pewsey were taking part in their fourth Pewsey carnival dressed as Kevin and Perry the adolescent teenagers made famous by Harry Enfield and Kathy Burke.

Lee Giddings, 25 of Broadfields, said: "We do something different every year, it's good fun."

Grant Batten, 25, of Raffins Lane, Pewsey, said: "The atmosphere is fantastic. For Pewsey the carnival is out of this world."

Wilcot resident Ray Strong, 65, was entering a large float for the last time.

Mr Strong, together with his family and friends, has entered the carnival procession for the last 31 years and his floats are always decked with thousands of dahlias.

This year's was on the theme of George Stephenson's Rocket and Mr Strong won three prizes.

He said: "What makes the carnival so good is all the different groups within Pewsey and people from outside take part in it to make it what it is.

"I hope to still take part in the procession in future, perhaps as a walking entry or a small vehicle."

Other colourful floats included called The Flower and Produce Show. The float's designers had decorated it with their own 'first prize' trophy.

Members of Pewsey Vale Running Club dressed up as famous singers past and present on their float, which was called Stars in Their Eyes. The singers included Adam Ant, Al Jolson and Dolly Parton. Club chairman Mark Anderson, as Elvis Presley, sported an impressive quiff.

"The club takes part in the carnival every year,' he said. "It's a bit of fun, we're enjoying ourselves and you can't beat it."

Other organisations taking part in the procession included Pewsey Vale Amateur Dramatic Society, the Cricklade Band, Kennet Vale Band and the 2nd Devizes Boys' Brigade.

There were also many people who did not enter a float but who dressed up and walked in the procession.

In all the procession had 75 entries, about the same as last year.

But procession organiser Kevin Foulkes said: "The standard continues to improve, People really do put a lot of effort into it. We seem to get more of the big articulated floats that would grace big west country shows," he said.