Wet weather fails to dampen Newtown Carnival

Wet weather and hailstones failed to dampen spirits as hundreds of people took to the streets of a Mid Wales town for its annual carnival.

Newtown Carnival was held on Saturday, with dozens of floats touring the town before people gathered at the town hall gardens for an afternoon of games. Organisers said it was a day packed full of fun for the whole family, with attractions, donkey rides, a funfair, a hog roast and a mass of trade stalls.

Chloe Antoniazzi was the carnival queen for 2011.

Fifteen-year-old Chloe was joined by her attendants Jessica Box, Angharad Williams, Billie Jo Lloyd, Kathy Mitchell, Nicole Franklin, Flynn Binding and David Box.

Councillor Val Howard, mayor of Newtown, said the event was a major success hailing it as the "biggest" for many years.

She said: "There were plenty of supporters.

"The streets were full and the field at the end was full too.

"I think it was the biggest carnival for a long, long time in spite of the rain and the hailstones.

Amazed

"Despite the weather there were hundreds of people so we were totally amazed at the turnout."

Jen Reynolds, secretary of the organising committee, said the event, which was led off by the Newtown Silver Band, had a history stretching back to 1926 and this year attracted 14 floats.

She said: "We had a fantastic day but we had a massive downpour just before the floats set off so everybody was soaked.

"But when we got to the field the weather was glorious and the sun came out," she continued.

"We had floats from local schools and Stepping Stones cancer group.

"The streets were lined with supporters and we raised lots of money to go towards putting it on again next year."

She said a duck race traditionally held on the River Severn on the day after the carnival became a casualty of the wet weather at the weekend and had to be cancelled.

Because the river was fast flowing and swollen by the rain the duck race will be rescheduled for a date to be fixed.

By Tom Johannsen