EVENT winners - parade, overall: Astwood Bank First School, 'Harry Potter'

Parade Floats: 1, Astwood Bank First School, 'Harry Potter'; 2, Redditch Irish Society, 'Finians Rainbow'; 3, Private entrant, 'Thunderbirds are Go!'

Parade Walkers: 1, Sarah Houghton, Jennie Haslam, Bethany Dutton, 'Winged Wonders'; 2, Leanna Horne , 'Budgie the Helicopter'; 3,'The Anonymous Crocodile'.

Vintage Vehicles: 1, Sentinal Steam Engine; 2, 'Lucy', steam engine; 3, 'Tomboy', steam roller.

Best Dressed Window - On Route: Sarah Crompton (Feckenham Road); 'Peter Pan and Fairy Land'. Off Route - Mr Bubbles Balloon Company (Evesham Road).

Colouring Competition: Harriet Bayliss (aged six).

The carnival got into full swing with the talent night on Friday, May 16.

The competition was a huge success with high standards set by all entrants. In second place was up-and-coming local bad Vest and the winner was Kirsty Strangewood, from Shipston on Stour.

Kirsty received a £150 prize and will be appearing on The Bear 102 breakfast show.

The main feature of Friday evening were the Notorious Brothers, who entertained with their own uniquely outrageous brand of rock and roll.

The parade itself, the carnival's main event, was a great attraction and the standard of entrants, floats, walkers, vintage vehicles and dressed windows was as high as ever.

Events on the carnival field were also well supported with an estimated 6,000 in attendance.

The arena participants included Dingle Fingle's Crown Town Crime Watch , the Shirley Pipe Band and Melton Mowbray Tin Soldiers and Wax and Wayne Comedy Trampoline Show.

The carnival ended in style with the sell-out concert by the Official Receivers.

Thanks go to all involved in helping to ensure the carnival was once again a tremendous success.

A particular thanks go carnival chairman David Smith, without whom the event would not even get off the ground.

The distribution of the cash raised for local charities takes place at 8pm on Thursday, July 10 at the White Lion in Astwood Bank. This is an open meeting for anyone who wants to comment on this year's carnival or help out next year, as well as an opportunity to see how much cash was raised and see the cheques presented.

Thoughts now turn to next year's event and preparations are already under way.

The carnival, which is now in its 16th year, has raised a staggering £92,000 for a variety of charities.

Those charities which would like to benefit from the fund-raising efforts of the next carnival are reminded that the closing date for applications is September 30. Applications can be made to Julie Horneon 892818.

Before then, the annual fireworks extravaganza is already being planned. The display will be on November 8.