Millennium carnival parade Warminster's best for years

THOUSANDS of people braved the cold and blustery wind to take part in Warminster's annual carnival celebrations.

An explosion of colour, song and dance hit the streets on Saturday as more than 50 entries made the town's millennium carnival one of the biggest for years.

Raising money for Warminster Community Radio and Wiltshire Air Ambulance, entrants to the event turned out in style to ensure the last carnival in the 2000 Wessex circuit became one of the best.

Starting off in Boreham Road, entrants, ranging from the Brazilian-style Hot Rock float to the pure extravagance of the Oasis Carnival Club's Moscow State Circus, paraded down the streets.

Carnival Princess Lauren Barlow, 11, a pupil at Kingdown School, who was recently crowned Wiltshire's Princess of Princesses, said she had been looking forward to the event for weeks.

She said: It feels different now it is here, I have been looking forward to the Warminster carnival as it is my home town.

"All my friends will be watching me, I really do love doing these carnivals."

The carnival princess was joined in the procession by the Avon Glen Pipe and Drums from Bristol, the 37th Kingswood Drum and Bugle band and the male Major Wrecks majorettes from Devizes.

Children from Sambourne Primary School, Warminster, joined in the carnival atmosphere, donning chimney brushes and flat caps to portray their version of Burt, the Mary Poppins chimney sweep character.

Sue Salmons, whose daughter Gaynor, seven, was one of the sweeps said she was thrilled to take part in the procession.

She said: "This is the first year we have entered and we have about 18 kids on the float.

"We have had to watch Mary Poppins about eight times now."

Warminster town councillor Andrew Davis used Bill and Ben for the theme of his 19th carnival entry.

He said: "I wanted to use the Flower Pot Men this year, I love the carnival it is so much fun."

Ivan Love, of Frome's Clogs Carnival Club, had his three grandchildren, Daniel, 10, Scott, nine and Amythsyt, six, on his circus time theme float.

He said: "It is a real family affair. There are 14 kids on the float and they are all enjoying it."

Dancing elephants paraded along with the procession, organised by Maureen Osborne and Brigit Hales.

Mrs Osborne said: "It's very hot in this suit but luckily it is quite cold outside. The elephant suits are usually well liked."

Four-year old Jamie Buckland was thrilled by the carnival atmosphere, as he starred as the Little Emperor on Wolverine Carnival Club's Dragons of the East float.

Float organiser Kerry Butt said: "He loves sitting up on the float, he also likes all the girls and the attention.

"We have been organising the float since last November, this is our eighth carnival this year."

RESULTS-RESULTS-RESULTS-RESULTS

A STUNNING mix of exotic carnival club floats and individual efforts boosted the number of entrants in Warminster's millennium carnival to more than 50.

The turnout by spectators was equally good, with crowds lining the route and standing several deep in many places.

Trowbridge float The Little Arrows, organised by the Otters family enjoyed its seventh first prize in seven carnivals this year, after winning the motorised masqueraders section.

Brazilian-style float Hot Rock from Gillingham scooped up the prizes, winning three separate sections.

Warminster is the last carnivals in the Wessex circuit, which began in Trowbridge last month.

The eight carnivals have attracted entrants from all over Wiltshire, Somerset and Dorset to appear in Trowbridge, Shaftesbury, Gillingham, Mere, Castle Cary, Wincanton, Frome and Warminster.

The main floats compete for points and are judged separately at each individual carnival.

Now the clubs must wait to hear who has won the overall awards.

Warminster results (1, 2, 3): Open feature, Brazil, Hot Rock CC, Gillingham; Oriental Mystique, Revellers CC, Motocombe; Military Ball, West End CC, Melksham.

Open tableaux, The Wonderful World of Willy Wonka, Magnum CC, Blandford Forum; Moscow State Circus, Oasis CC, Radstock.

Open comic feature, Party Animals, Cat Road Haulage.

Open juvenile, Flight of Fantasy, 1st Shaftesbury Mowgli Cubs JCC; Circus Time, CLOGS JCC, Frome; There and Back Again, 1st Shaftesbury Kiplin Cups JCC.

Local juvenile, Sambourne Sweets, Sambourne School.

Disabled, Young at Heart, WCS Bexford Centre.

Open non-motorised, Mesheeca, Aliens CC, Frome; Geni'US, Herberts CC, Trowbridge; Dragons of the East, Wolverines CC, Frome.

Single adult masquerader, IceArtica, Slayer of Wolves, Stan Collis, Gillingham; equal 2 Crystal Mystik, Norman Bishop, Wells, and Ice Warrior, Judy Fielding, Frome; Millennium Twins, Sue Jenson, Wells.

Group adult masqueraders, Dance of the Fairy Elephants, Mereley Tipplers CC, Motcombe; Bedrock Bedlam, Just Georges CC, Sturminster Newton; The Lion Tamer, T Andrews and R Iles, Blandford Forum.

Single juvenile masquerader, Ocean Magic, Amber Sewell, Blandford Forum; Snow Queen, Joy Francis; Last of the Crusaders, Oliver Day.

Group juvenile masqueraders, Mr Men, 6th Warminster Guides; Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Frome Charisma Twirlers; Father Christmas, 1st Warminster Brownies.

Masqueraders motorised, Little Arrows, Otters Family, Trowbridge; Russian Nights, Ushers Club, Trowbridge.

Best traditional band, Avon Glen Pipe and Drums; best majorettes, Frome Fascination; best feature routine, Brazil, Hot Rock CC, Gillingham; best tableaux pose, Moscow State Circus, White Lion Tamer, Oasis CC, Radstock; best costume, Mesheeca, Aliens CC, Frome; most humourous, Bedrock Bedlam, Just Georges CC, Sturminster Newton; best art work, Moscow State Circus, Oasis CC, Radstock; best lighting, Brazil, Hot Rock CC, Gillingham; technical achievement, Oriental Mystique, Revellers CC, Motcombe.