Plans for this year’s Royal Wootton Bassett Carnival are underway, and the search for the next carnival queen is on.

Organisers are looking for school age youngsters to enter the competition at Royal Wootton Bassett Academy on April 23, ready for the carnival on May 18.

They are also taking entries for floats for the procession and are hoping as many businesses as possible will get involved.

Committee member Gillian Hughes said: “As the 2013 Royal Wootton Bassett Carnival draws closer, the first event to kick off the festivities is the annual carnival queen contest.”

Categories include butterfly princess, which is for reception to Year 2 pupils, carnival princess is for Year 3 to Year 6 and carnival queen is for Year 7 upwards.

Anyone wanting to compete should arrive between 5pm and 5.30pm for registration.

This carnival started in 1972 and celebrated its 40th anniversary last year.

“It is a great community event and I love that Royal Wootton Bassett is a town that still has a carnival. Carnivals are a dying breed so it is nice to keep it going,” said Mrs Hughes.

“People should come to support their local community and hopefully make it one of our biggest events ever. It will be a family occasion and there will be lots of different sorts of music.”

The committee is inviting businesses, clubs and groups to join the procession, particularly pubs.

There are also opportunities for walking entries.

Organisers are holding a fundraiser for the carnival on May 11, which will see councillors, teachers, company bosses and well-known faces from around the town getting soaked.

Votes are being taken for the people who will take part.

For more information visit woottonbassettcarnival.com.