Carnival fever hots up (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Carnival fever hots up

A PROCESSION of colourful floats will weave its way through Warminster tomorrow as the town prepares to celebrate its annual carnival.

Thousands of revellers are expected to line the streets for the late autumn parade, as more than 60 participants make the journey from Boreham Road to the finish in Grovelands Way.

The carnival, which features floats from the Tropical Park health centre, the Beckford Centre and the Warminster Lions, is the last on the Wessex carnival circuit.

The Dorchester Carnival Band will kick-start proceedings at 6.30pm, closely followed by the majorettes at 6.45pm.

The main procession starts at 7pm and supporters are asked to be in place from 6.30pm.

This year all the money raised will be split between Dorothy House Hospice Care and local Beavers, cubs, scouts, Rainbows, Brownies and guide groups.

A week of fundraising began on Monday with an open day at Warminster fire station.

On Tuesday, The Old Bell in Market Place hosted a pub quiz and there was a family bingo night at the scout hut on Wednesday.

A tombola is scheduled for 10am tomorrow in Three Horseshoes Walk and collection buckets will be on display throughout the carnival procession in an effort to beat last year's total, when more than £2,000 was raised for Shopmobility and the Wessex Multiple Sclerosis Therapy Centre.

The carnival procession will follow the same route as last year. From Boreham Road the procession travels along East Street, Market Place, High Street, George Street, Silver Street, Vicarage Street and West Street before finishing in Grovelands Way.

Warminster Carnival Committee chairman Sandra Major said: "This year promises to be the biggest and best yet. I would like everyone in the town to come along and support the carnival."