HUNDREDS of people were seen flocking to Bradworthy for the village’s annual carnival over the weekend, taking place on the warm Saturday evening.

Early in the evening, the Square was already bustling as they sampled the barbecue, ice cream and other food and drink on offer from the numerous stalls, while the children enjoyed themselves on the bouncy castle and fairground ride.

On the stage double act, Mark Bromell and Johnny Furse, kept up amusing banter and later introduced magician Wayne the Weird, who mystified and entertained the crowd with some conjuring tricks.

At 6pm, ten-year-old Maisie Downing came on to the stage to be crowned as Bradworthy Carnival Queen by Cllr Margaret Coles.

Dressed in white and attended by her sisters, nine-year-old Eden and seven-year-old Minnie — all three looked pretty as a picture.

Meanwhile, accompanied by their attendants, visiting Royalty from Bridgerule, Hartland and Holsworthy, both Carnival and Fairy Queens, were arriving and the floats and walkers were assembling on the playing field for judging.

By 7pm the expectant crowd lining the streets had swollen and, soon after, the procession approached the Square with three Devon and Cornwall Longwool sheep having the honour of leading the parade.

With Mark Bromell and Johnny Furse providing a commentary it made its way around the square and through the village. Inevitably the Olympics,‘Bradworthy OAP Olympic Team’ and ‘Naughtycal Nuns’, practising their rowing for Tokyo, and the world of entertainment, ‘Shrek’, ‘Who Ya Gonna Call?’ and a funeral ‘Heaven’s Got Talent’, provided the themes for some of the floats.

Topical news items, such as the escape of a lynx from a zoo and Brexit, provided others with young walking characters.

Amy Walter, Reuben, Harriet and Elisa Heywood dressed respectively as a fried egg, rasher of bacon, ketchup and a sausage as ‘Full English Brexit’.

Harping back to an earlier time were ‘Miss World Rejects’, ‘Flower Power’, ‘Sing a Song of Sixpence’ and ‘Noah’s Ark’. ‘Blue (Smarties) Is Back’ and ‘Jelly Babies’ also featured.

Interspersed among the floats and commercial vehicles, four bands including Tarka Pipe Band, Bideford Youth Pipe Band, Barnstaple Youth Marching Band and Bude Town Band provided the music.

After the procession people returned to the Square to be entertained by The Loose Cannons Band, and the evening was brought to a close with a fireworks display.

Carnival secretary, Samantha Broughton, said: “It has been a very successful carnival, watched by hundreds of people and I am grateful for the fantastic support we have received.”

The event generated tremendous community spirit and thanks have been extended to carnival president Richard Broughton and his committee for keeping the spirit of carnival alive in Bradworthy.HUNDREDS of people were seen flocking to Bradworthy for the village’s annual carnival over the weekend, taking place on the warm Saturday evening.

Early in the evening, the Square was already bustling as they sampled the barbecue, ice cream and other food and drink on offer from the numerous stalls, while the children enjoyed themselves on the bouncy castle and fairground ride.

On the stage double act, Mark Bromell and Johnny Furse, kept up amusing banter and later introduced magician Wayne the Weird, who mystified and entertained the crowd with some conjuring tricks.

At 6pm, ten-year-old Maisie Downing came on to the stage to be crowned as Bradworthy Carnival Queen by Cllr Margaret Coles.

Dressed in white and attended by her sisters, nine-year-old Eden and seven-year-old Minnie — all three looked pretty as a picture.

Meanwhile, accompanied by their attendants, visiting Royalty from Bridgerule, Hartland and Holsworthy, both Carnival and Fairy Queens, were arriving and the floats and walkers were assembling on the playing field for judging.

By 7pm the expectant crowd lining the streets had swollen and, soon after, the procession approached the Square with three Devon and Cornwall Longwool sheep having the honour of leading the parade.

With Mark Bromell and Johnny Furse providing a commentary it made its way around the square and through the village. Inevitably the Olympics,‘Bradworthy OAP Olympic Team’ and ‘Naughtycal Nuns’, practising their rowing for Tokyo, and the world of entertainment, ‘Shrek’, ‘Who Ya Gonna Call?’ and a funeral ‘Heaven’s Got Talent’, provided the themes for some of the floats.

Topical news items, such as the escape of a lynx from a zoo and Brexit, provided others with young walking characters.

Amy Walter, Reuben, Harriet and Elisa Heywood dressed respectively as a fried egg, rasher of bacon, ketchup and a sausage as ‘Full English Brexit’.

Harping back to an earlier time were ‘Miss World Rejects’, ‘Flower Power’, ‘Sing a Song of Sixpence’ and ‘Noah’s Ark’. ‘Blue (Smarties) Is Back’ and ‘Jelly Babies’ also featured.

Interspersed among the floats and commercial vehicles, four bands including Tarka Pipe Band, Bideford Youth Pipe Band, Barnstaple Youth Marching Band and Bude Town Band provided the music.

After the procession people returned to the Square to be entertained by The Loose Cannons Band, and the evening was brought to a close with a fireworks display.

Carnival secretary, Samantha Broughton, said: “It has been a very successful carnival, watched by hundreds of people and I am grateful for the fantastic support we have received.”

The event generated tremendous community spirit and thanks have been extended to carnival president Richard Broughton and his committee for keeping the spirit of carnival alive in Bradworthy.