VILLAGERS in St Briavels got inventive and creative for the annual carnival which took place on Saturday (June 10).

Not only were there the traditional decorated floats and costumes, this year there was also the opportunity to make a scarecrow.

There were 25 dotted around the village and the best was declared to be the one outside St Briavels Castle of Scouts toasting marshmallows at camp which was made by the village’s Beaver Scout colony.

Judges Linda Gabaldoni and Karen Jones said they were bowled over by the creativity on display in the floats, costumes and scarecrows and that made their job very difficult.

The carnival is organised by a voluntary committee and proceeds from the event go towards the upkeep of the village playing fields, the destination for the parade and venue for stalls and other attractions.

This year’s event raised £4,217.

Tessa Charlie, who is one of the organisers, said: “We’d like to thank everyone who has taken the time and effort to dress up and decorate floats.

“It really is a massive achievement and we are so proud of the procession and everyone’s involvement in it.”

The parade was led by a Samba band and included Cecilia Lindsay on her Cleveland Bay horse Cholderton ixion and a 1930 Model A Ford driven by Stuart Reid.

There was a wide range of stalls and attractions on the field including archery led by experts from St Briavels Castle.

The Edward Page Cup for best float went to the Sunflower pre-school class at St Briavels School.

The judges said it was creative and funny with stories about the children’s mums.

St Briavels School was second and received the Janet Parry Memorial Cup for its Great Britons float which saw children and adults dressed as notable people from British history.

The John Charlton Memorial Cup went to the “Spice Girls” from St Briavels School who were third.

The prize for the best team effort went to St Briavels for their All Things Royal theme and second was the dragon from the Save the Wye group.

The best duo were Milligan Harvey as Matilda and Jane Ball as Miss Trenchbull from the Roald Dahl story Matilda and they received the Dyke Stephens Memorial Cup.

Second place went to Charlotte Bishop as Patsy and Kelly Leecch as Adina from Absolutely Fabulous and third were Cecilia Lindsay and Chalderton ixion.

The Hermione from Harry Potter entry won the best novelty costume.

Caroline Miles won the best creative costume for her Queen of Hearts and the dragon from Save the Wye was second.