Crowds flock to Carnival (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Crowds flock to Carnival

FUNKY 1970's afro hairstyles and flares, a huntsman and his pack of hounds and television's domestic cleaning gurus Kim and Aggie were all to be found at this year's Malmesbury Carnival Procession.

Revellers joined last Saturday's parade through the town in their adopted alternative personas as this year's event passed off in a blaze of noise and colour.

People crammed the streets to see almost 20 floats and 30 walking entries snake their way around the town centre, as the procession raised £3,500 for local good causes.

Tristan the Huntsman, aka, Western Daily Press reporter and Malmesbury resident Tristan Cork, won best walking entry for his effort - which included mask-wearing children masqerading as a pack of hounds.

Staff from Gable House Surgery dressed as characters from the Second World War as they won the cup for best overall float.

Winners of the WI Cup were the ladies from Little Somerford who, adopting the category's Charles Dickens theme, dressed as characters from a Tale of Two Cities, complete with a bloodied guilotine.

Gill Smith and Margaret Buckland pushed a Dyson vacuum cleaner around the streets as they transformed themselves into Kim and Aggie from television's, How Clean is Your House.

Margaret, otherwise known as Aggie, said: "It was nice to do, it's topical and hopefully we will get a laugh from the crowd."

Elliott Curtis dressed as the white rabbit from Alice in Wonderland, a character who was always late.

He said: "He's never on time. You can ask anyone who knows me, they will tell you I'm never on time."

Medieval Malmesbury, Oliver Twist, cast members from Little Britain and Leonardo Da Vinci's Flying Machine and Helicopter were also represented, while Gurkhas from Buckley Barracks joined the throng.

A Save the Town Hall Float was also entered by Malmesbury Town Council, with councillors John Poole, Jacky Martin, Andrew Woodcock, Glyn Davies and Ann Davis all participating.

Malmesbury Carnival secretary John Lawton thanked everyone who helped count the collection, the volunteer marshalls and the procession judges.

He added: "It was an excellent turn out and an excellent quality of floats.

"It was good to see lots of happy faces around but it was disspointing to see just one commercial entry.

"We would like to see more businesses or pubs taking part."