Big day is finally here (From Dorset Echo)

Big day is finally here

9:14am Wednesday 20th August 2008 in

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THE leading lights of Weymouth Carnival have been busy making sure it goes with a bang.

Carnival queen Jamie Asquith has been getting ready for her big moment - leading the parade in front of thousands of cheering people.

She was selling draw tickets on the seafront with carnival princesses Jessica Spencer and Yvonne Worrall yesterday.

She spent this morning getting ready for her big day with an early start.

Jamie, 18, said: "I'm really excited about the parade and I'm hoping it's a nice day.

"It will be a long day for me. I started getting ready around 7am.

"I'm not really a morning person, so it was a bit of a struggle, but I would say I'm more excited than nervous about taking part."

Volunteers were also up and about at 5am today transforming the Osmington white horse into a pink donkey using fabrics, bubblewrap and bin bags.

Weymouth Carnival committee chairman Sue Follan said she came up with the idea of changing the horse's colour after seeing an image of a donkey printed in pink.

She added that volunteers will be needed tomorrow morning to clean it up.

Anyone interested in helping should arrive at the track leading to the horse off Came Down Road by around 10am.

Today's exciting programme of carnival events includes demonstrations by search and rescue teams, the London Fire Brigade parachute team and a tug of war.

There will be flypasts by The Blades display team, Guinot Wingwalkers, a Battle of Britain Spitfire and the Red Arrows at noon.

The carnival will include a fire engine pull, a demonstration by Dorset Fire and Rescue Service dealing with a road traffic collision and a penalty shoot-out event, being run all day by Weymouth Football Club.

The grand parade will begin at 6pm, followed by fireworks and a prize draw.