Last Bexhill carnival?

At the height of the action on Carnival Day and before Polegrove gate takings had been counted, committee chairman Nim Whitmarsh was talking in terms of "if" there is a Bexhill Carnival next year.

The small but hardy-working committee is deeply grateful to sponsors who made this year's event such a success.

But if 2005 was tight financially, next year could be even more difficult.

However, on the day crowds lining the procession route from Sidley to Polegrove were blissfully unaware of the headaches faced by the committee.

At 40, this year's procession was not only numerically up on last year but included some outstanding entries.

Judges awarded best in show to the 3rd Bexhill (St Michael's) Scout Group with its Keystone Scouts

cops-and-robbers theme - a jail-on-wheels pursued by a posse of Plods and an assortment of villains.

The float was the product of a week's work by group leaders with the youngsters providing their own costumes, Assistant Beaver Leader Helen Hollick confided before the procession made off.

Second overall was the eye-catching, ear-blasting contribution from McCoy's Rock and Roll Club.

A giant pink Cadillac crafted in glass reinforced plastic and borrowed from a sister club at Dover was gave the rockers' band, Midnight Shift, a wide-load ride and a class first.

McCoy's Friday night sessions at the Athletic Club are now pulling in 100-plus regulars and many had donned drainpipes and drapes to support the float as colleagues jived on the Caddy's bonnet from Sidley to Polegrove.

Third overall and a class winner was Sidley newsagents and sweetshop Candy Corner with a confection of many delights and featuring boss Nick Highfield as a giant Liquorice Allsort.

Graham Eley and family, veterans of 18 Hastings Carnivals but newcomers to Bexhill, scored a class first with a "Baby Boomers R Us" uniformed walking entry. It was the only response to this year's suggested Forties theme.

Town Mayor Cllr Joy Hughes perched jauntily on the back of David Wallis' immaculate 1986 Mercedes 380SL. David's is a show car which has covered only 36,000 miles. It was representing Bexhill Club of Past Rotarians to got a class third.

Civic leadership shared pride of place behind parade leaders Eastbourne Pipe Band with the town's Carnival Court.

There is a Dunkirk Spirit about Carnival and when their trusty Fifties lorry developed a last-minute brake fault, resourceful Christchurch Methodist Church members adapted a trailer and used clever slogans like "Life is precious, handle it with prayer" to catch the eye - and a class 2nd.

Queen Victoria presided over a mobile garden party as Grosvenor Park BUPA home staff dressed for the stylish occasion and a class second.

King Offa School stepped through the door that leads to adventure. Three weeks of work by the PTA with the enthusiastic efforts of Years 3,4,5 and 6 in their After School club saw a castle peopled by knights, soldiers amd wimpled ladies to get a class 2nd.

The good ship Charters Ancaster set sail to a class second thanks to a piratical crew and the handyman efforts of Martin Boley and helpers. The ship was adapted from scenery used in the school production of Peter Pan.

Dyamond Dance members put street dance skills learned at the club, which meets at Bexhill College to energetic effect.

Trade entries made a come-back this year. Action Charters, which charters boats from Eastbourne and jet-skis from Bexhill, displayed a 1200cc Yamaha jet-ski capable of 70mph while Going Places went cruising with a Sphinx and Pyramid display to a class third.

Chantry Community Primary PTA had been working for a month with the children's help and the skilled brushwork of Poppy Whybrow to bring Sherwood Forest to Bexhill complete with Robin Hood, Friar Tuck and the Merry Men.

Pebsham Princesses Jade Prince and Molly Taylor rode behind a pair of prancing horses created by Pebsham Community Association.

The magnificent Valiant, all 18.2 hands of him, hauled a traditional Sussex farm cart bearing Old Town's May Queen and her court.

Landlubbers admiring Beulah Baptist's pirate ship were invited to take part in this week's holiday club for five to 11 year-olds at the church.

All Saints' Church of England Primary School proclaimed that St George was their hero. Their dragon float gained a class first as did Hastings Old Town's court with their Observer-sponsored float.

Carnival 2005 saw the welcome return of Morgan's whose professionally-made showboat replaces their familiar train which, accordining to one parader "Hit the buffers and came to the end of the line." . The stern-wheeler replacement gained them a class second.

Bexhill Youth Council members walked from Sidley to Polegrove to campaign for a seafront cycle track in specially-commissioned Youth Council t-shirts. Advisor Margaret Jones showed her support for Youth MP and Youth council chairman Joseph Ammoun with a "Have your say, get your way" placard.

The procession finally made it to Polegrove at 2.55pm with the Bexhill In Bloom float bringing up the rear bearing Bloom Princess Lucie Eldridge. She was keeping the peace between Good FLower Sandra Melvin and Evil Wasp Doreen Jones on their floral truck.

Spectators Maureen Doncaster and Pat Dawson had watched the parade off from Turkey Road. Both were impressed.

"It was very good. There's certainly more here than last year and it's a good length" said Maureen.

Pat added: "It's very good of the courts to come from so far away - and it's nice to see the Shire Horse.

Both showed good judgment - picking both winner and runner-up.