AS plans for this year's Kidderminster Carnival move up a gear, memories of the event 70 years ago have been rekindled for grandfather, Bob Brighton, who, at the age of seven, led the queen's entourage in the parade.

The retired accounts clerk has unearthed his treasured programme of the 1935 carnival, which aimed to raise £1,000 for the town's then cash-strapped hospital.

Mr Brighton, 77, of Manor Avenue South, was the carnival prince - because his father, Tom Brighton, had been given the task of organising the queen contest.

He worked for the Empire Carpet Company and the responsibility for arranging the carnival queen and her entourage fell to each of the many carpet companies on a rota basis.

That year was extra special as it was also the silver jubilee of King George V and, making the most of the company name, Empire chose Mrs Nellie Richards as queen, with Miss Selina Beardsmore as "England," Miss Ada Jordan as "Canada," Miss Olive Harris as "Africa," and Miss Constance Roberts as "India."

Mr Brighton remembers crowds of people cheering the large and colourful procession of floats and pedestrians, which set off from New Road and paraded all around the town before dispersing in Green Street.

The procession stopped at the War Memorial to remember those who lost their lives in the Great War and Mr Brighton recalled how he nervously carried a wreath on a cushion which was laid at the base of the memorial.

The programme - which cost 3d - showed that hospital deficits were nothing new, as carnival chairman, Ralph Mountford, urged people to support the £1,000 hospital appeal to reduce its £6,000 debt.

That was before the National Health Service had been set up and, for 3d a week, the people of Kidderminster could receive free medical treatment at the Mill Street hospital, although the contributory scheme was insufficient on its own.

The year 1935 also marked 25 years association with the hospital by Anne Stretton, who was matron from 1910 until 1920 and again from 1926. During the intervening six years she was a member of hospital committee, the ladies' committee and of the Linen Guild committee.

The programme, a superb social history of Kidderminster and its hospital, includes photographs of a packed out-patients' department, the women's ward and the children's ward alongside which is a plea:

"To you we are pleading,

Don't let's plead in vain,

For money that's needed,

To relieve us of pain.

To all who love children,

An appeal we now make,

Give and give freely,

For the kiddies' sake."

It also contains many fascinating advertisements from businesses and shops around Kidderminster - including the Kidderminster Times and the Kidderminster Shuttle - dubbed "bigger and better than ever before."

Shops were invited to decorate their windows for a carnival competition. The procession set off late in the afternoon, after the crowning of the queen, but Mr Brighton said there was no showground with stalls and entertainment, as with the modern carnival.

The parade was followed with a dance at the town hall, with Stan Tipper and his Blues Lyres Dance Band .

This year's carnival, on Saturday June 18, will start with a parade through the town at noon followed by an afternoon of fun at Brinton Park.

Proceeds from the event will be donated to the Kidderminster Shuttle/Times and News's Operation Covert appeal.