Kidderminster Carnival has been saved at the eleventh hour after new volunteers came forward to secure its future.

The event which attracts thousands of people every year faced the axe after its long-time organisers decided to retire and an appeal for replacements failed to drum up interest.

A final decision was put on hold until this month to allow more time for new volunteers to be found.

And at a crunch meeting volunteers willing to take over the position of chairman and vice-chairman came forward.

Committee member Steve Walker and Tony Quinn, a retired police sergeant, will now oversee the carnival and will call their first meeting of the organising committee in late November.

Their agreement to take over brings to an end months of uncertainty for the community event which brings in thousands of visitors to Kidderminster every year.

A date has already been set for next year’s carnival on June 18. The event is normally held at the town’s Brinton Park.