SIDMOUTH Carnival attracted more people than ever on Saturday evening, writes ELLEN COOK.

The event had more than 40 entries, walkers and floats from as far afield as South Brent, and three charity entries – Sidmouth Living With Cancer; Help for Heroes and Sidmouth Gig Club. It raised �2,500 through street collections, but the overall total hasn’t been finalised yet.

While the bulk will go to cover next year’s costs, some of the proceeds will go to local charities.

The carnival royal party, including Queen Nikita McClean, 12, were transported in Tom Griffiths’ vintage charabanc Toast Rack. They were followed by Sidmouth’s Diamond Cheerleaders, impressing the crowd with their routine.

This is the first year the carnival has been run by a new committee, since Stuart Hughes relinquished the role of organiser due to pressure of work. New chairman Terry Clarke was pleased with how things had gone.

He said: “We couldn’t have asked for better weather and the support from the spectators was brilliant.

“We achieved one of our aims by getting the front of the procession to reach the seafront in one hour.”

He added that the feedback so far had been positive. “It shows that the town wants the carnival to continue,” he said. “I would like to thank all of the local businesses and individuals who have helped us throughout the year. Without their help the carnival wouldn’t have taken place.”

RESULTS: Class 1 Open Spectacular Floats 1 Jokers, Sid Vale Carnival Club. Class 2 Youth Floats (open) 1 Snow Time, South Brent CC; 2 Christmas Rock ‘n’ Roll, Tango Juvenile Carnival Club; 3 Wig Wam Bam, K9CC and 1st Honiton Scouts. Class 3 Humorous (open) 1 That’s a bit Irish, Axminster Young Farmers; 2 I’m a Nutter, get me out of ‘ere, Nunsford Nutters CC; 3 Horse ‘n’ Crowd, Westbridge Carnival Club. Class 5 Open floats 30ft or under: 1 Ocean Venture, OSM VSY Carnival Club; 2 Harry Potter goes gaga, The Muckslingers; 3 Hellraiser, Brimspear; 4 Bubbly Budleigh Car Wash, Budleigh Salterton Carnival Club. Class 6 Royalty: 1 Queen of Hearts (Colyton), Colyton Carnival; 2 Queen of Hearts (Seaton), Seaton Carnival; 3 Ottery Royalty “Starry Eyed”, Ottery St Mary Carnival Committee. Class 7 Royalty 1 Summer Holiday, Harbertonford 68 Youth Club; 2 Chen, Honiton & District Carnival; 3 Snow Angels, Topsham Town Fayre; 4 Somewhere Over the Rainbow, Totnes Community Carnival. Class 8 Individual Walking Adult 1 Secret Garden, JBCC; 2 Trick or Treat, Swain CC; 3 Cat-o-Buttterfly, Paulina Mroczynska. Class 9 Individual Walking Youth 1 It’s Snowonder, Lauren Pearcy; 2 Flaming Nuisance, Aidan Pearcy; 3 Over the Rainbow, Swain CC. Class 10 Pairs Walking 1 The Magic Roundabout, Swain CC; 2 Dance of the Dragons; Jess and Rosa Batten-Stevens; 3 Enchanted, Excalibur Carnival Club. Class 11 Motorised Props: 1 Bodacious, Boogie Bass Bugs. Class 12 Groups Walking Adult: 1 Joking Jesters, Ann Marchant; 2 Forgotten Fairies, Sidford WI. Class 13 Groups Walking Youth 1 Sidmouth Thriller, Sidmouth Youth Centre; 2 The Blitz, 1st Sid Vale (Sidmouth) Scouts; 3 Battle of Britain, Sidmouth ATC. Class 14 Wheeled non-motorised: 1 The Bearded Pearl, Cooke family; 2 Flash from the Past, St John Ambulance; 3 Seaton Express, Phil Armour. Best in Procession: Jokers, Sid Vale Carnival Club. Spirit of Carnival Ocean Venture, OSM VSY Carnival Club.