SATURDAY brought another fantastic carnival to the residents and visitors of Hatherleigh.

Many turned out for the early morning run of the tar barrels and to watch the hunt meet and the shops showed their support for the carnival by decorating their windows.

It was with regret that the afternoon children’s procession had to be cancelled due to the weather and the children were directed straight to the community centre (the new venue) for judging. The Hatherleigh Silver Band, which was due to lead the procession, instead entertained the many spectators from the balcony in the hall while the crowds poured in.

The entire community centre joined in a moment’s silence to reflect on the carnival committee’s sad losses of Brian Doidge and Gill Davies. Gill’s younger daughter Hannah Winser bravely performed her late mum’s roles and crowned the Carnival Queen Ella-May Jevons and Prince and Princess Joshua and Holly Wale. Unfortunately the rain meant that they couldn’t bring their floats out until the evening procession, but they were a real treat.

The Queen’s float was entitled Ella-May in Wonderland and her attendants sat at the mad hatters tea party! The Prince and Princess had an underwater feel, complete with a beautiful blue whale.

The rain continued on into the start of the evening’s events but that didn’t stop the crowds from lining the streets to watch the procession of the many fantastic floats and walking guys.

In addition to the floats and guys there were the massed bands, the samba band, majorettes and to amuse the crowds in the event of a gap in the procession, the very talented and funny Entertainingly Different.

AFTERNOON RESULTS: Decorated cycles, prams and barrows (local) — 1, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang — Harry Edwards-Brady; Girls five years and under, 1, Ladybird —Tallulah Baxson; Boys five years and under, Finlay the Ferocious — Finlay Chapman; Girls six to nine years, 1, Inside Out – Demelza Brock; Boys and girls ten to 16 years, Swan-n-Only — Mary Dorain; Walking Couples seven years and under, 1, Lego City — Jake Friend and Oscar Barker; Walking couples eight to 16 years, Meet Kevin and Bob — Joe and Lily Bater; Groups up to eight years, 1, The Tiger who came to Tea —  Rowen Hellon, Emily Simpson and Flo Whiting; Groups 16 years and under, 1, 150 years of Alice in Wonderland —Hatherleigh Community Primary School;

EVENING RESULTS: Artistic (min 75% crepe paper) — non-moving parts, 1, Rise n’ Shine —  Reddaway, Entwistle, Barrs, Anstey and Drew families; Artistic – (min 75% crepe paper) — moving parts, 1, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang — Dilling, Wonnacott, Squire, King and Bater families; Decorated, 1, Mechanical Circus — Stevens, Brandon-King, Whiting, Bailey and Co; Comic, 1, A Clean Sweep! — Hatherleigh Jolly Boys; Visitors — Comic Open, 1, Should’ve have gone to Lewdown YFC —Lewdown YFC; Visitors — Artistic Open, 1, Wonderland — Bolt and family; Visitors — Most Original Open, 1, Merton Movers — Clinton Primary School and Little Otters; Visiting Royalty – Tableaux, 1, Dolton Queen; Walking Guys – Adult, 1, Love my Garden – Graham Jones; Walking Guys 15 years and under, 1, Inside Out — Demelza Brock; Groups — adult, 1, Snow White and her Dwarfs — Drake, Strawbridge, Stephens and Friends; Decorated hand barrows, prams and cycles — local, 1, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang — Harry Edwards-Brady

CUP  WINNERS: Best Local Cup, (Class 1 and 2) Chitty Chitty Bang Bang — Dilling, Wonnacott, Squire, King & Bater Families; Best Local Cup (Class 3 and 4) Mechanical Circus —Stevens, Brandon-King, Whiting, Bailey & Co; Best Comic Cup, A Clean Sweep! — Hatherleigh Jolly Boys; Best Visitors Cup, Wonderland — Bolt and Family; Best YFC Shield, 30 Years of CBBC —  Winkleigh YFC; Best Overall Cup, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang — Dilling, Wonnacott, Squire, King and Bater families.

The winner of the shop window display was The Paper Shop.