Town set for carnival invasion

Thousands of visitors are expected to pack into a Black Country town centre for its annual carnival next weekend.

This year's Stourbridge carnival is next Sunday and has a health and fitness theme.

Entertainment starts at 10am in the High Street, with traditional stalls and a craft fair throughout the day.

Other activities will include Morris dancing, stilt-walkers, dancing groups, martial arts demonstrations and singers. Jazz and brass bands will be providing the music.

Youngsters will also get the chance to meet birds of prey and take part in competitions.

A classic car show will line Lower High Street and the annual parade will also be taking place around High Street and neighbouring roads.

The parade winner will get the Percy Oakley Trophy, in honour of the Stourbridge campaigner. Youngsters will also compete in the Carnival Princess competition.

A hospital roadshow will be on hand to give people health and fitness advice and offer blood pressure checks.

It will be the largest carnival-style event taking place in the area after organisers of the neighbouring Wordsley Festival were forced to cancel their event for this year.

Organiser David Harcourt said that the Stourbridge carnival promised to be the biggest yet.

He said: "We are expecting this year's event to be bigger than the previous ones and are looking forward to what should be a great day."

The carnival princess will be chosen early on in the day and be treated like royalty for the rest of the event.

Entrants must be aged between five and nine and can sign up on the day from 10.15am.

Judging will be starting at 10.30am. This year's prin-cess will win £50 and a professional photo shoot.

There will also be prizes for the runners-up and goody bags for all entrants.

Preparations are also under way for this year's Stourbridge In Bloom project with flowers brightening up every street corner in the town centre.

Last year the town was awarded the silver gilt award for its efforts in the Britain in Bloom competition for towns which have been decked out in flowers.