TROWBRIDGE will be alive with carnival cheer on Saturday, and organisers expect the town’s annual parade to be one of its best ever.

A procession of about 60 floats will leave Canal Road at 7pm and end at Cradle Bridge, with spectators gathering until the Longfield Road roundabout.

Last year the carnival moved from early September to the autumn, when the nights get dark earlier. The move led to a larger crowd and organisers are looking to build on that success.

Carnival committee chairman Maryrose Mantle, of Trowbridge Town Council, said: “We’ve got so many floats this year and, including the walking groups, we’ll have around 300 people taking part in the parade.

“We have got a lot more entries than last year and they’ll be some definite eye-catchers to watch out for.”

“We are very pleased to have four marching bands. It shows that the carnival is getting bigger.

“I think moving the carnival later in the year has proved to be right. It helps set the right atmosphere, with the floats shining brightly, children eating candy floss and the slight autumn evening chill being beaten off by the amount of warmth the floats will be creating.

“The stewarding is vital, as without them there is simply no carnival. I’d like to say thank you to all our volunteers.

“We also have great support from the people who donate their time being bucket collectors, not to mention the police and fire brigade. We already have a lot of volunteers, but we’d always welcome more and entrants for the parade too.”

The carnival will be followed by a presentation and disco for participants at the Wesley Road Social Club at 9pm.

For more details of the carnival, call Maryrose Mantle on 01225 765072 or 07866 698278.

Police are reminding drivers to avoid the town centre on Saturday evening, when roads will be closed for the parade.

Sgt Malcolm Mclundie said: “They are organising car parking but of course it will be very busy and motorists are asked to avoid driving in.”

Organisers expect there to be around 13,000 people heading into Trowbridge.

Police will also be operating a Stay Safe campaign in Trowbridge on Saturday evening. Officers will be on the lookout for young people on the streets, who are deemed to be at risk, unsafe or vulnerable and will take them to a place of safety.

l Carnival history, Nostalgia, Page 42