CARNIVAL magic is set to bewitch Ringwood residents on Saturday with another spellbinding programme of colourful cavalcades, eye-catching entertainment and booming fireworks.

Last year's procession attracted 37 floats as well as walking entries, bands and majorette display teams, but with £1,000 of prize money for the best three floats up for grabs, this year promises to be even bigger and better.

This year's carnival queen Samantha Elvy will lead the procession in a carriage drawn by a team of six gleaming Percheron horses, provided by the Sampson family from Harbridge, who will be celebrating 50 years of involvement in the Ringwood Carnival.

To mark their golden anniversary, the carnival committee will bring the afternoon procession to a halt in the Market Place to make a special presentation to the family for their efforts.

There will be some stunning costumes this year thanks to community artist Alex, who has been visiting schools and other community organisations and showing them how to make the best use of materials.

The children's afternoon procession leaves Parkside Industrial Estate at 2pm to parade along a circular route around the town centre and the evening torchlight procession sets off at 7.15pm and follows the same route.

Other attractions include bands at 3pm and 9pm, trade stands and charity stalls at the Village Green on Bickerley Common noon-5.30pm, a fun fair, plus the fireworks at 9.30pm.

Last year the carnival raised a record £10,000 towards good causes and with similar financial backing and a reasonable weather outlook for the weekend, carnival secretary Nicola Morey is hoping for even bigger takings.

Mrs Morey is also hoping to hear from schools and charitable organisations in the Ringwood area that might benefit from carnival funds. To contact her telephone 01425 470261.

Ringwood Rotary Club is taking advantage of carnival fever to launch a charity duck race on the Mill Stream at the Bickerley on Saturday afternoon.

Ducks will be on sale at £1 each and the race, which starts from the bridge in West Street at 4pm, carries more than £200 in prize money for the first five ducks across the finish line.

First published: September 17