As the curtain falls on South Brent Carnival for another year organisers are looking back over a successful week, and forward to what they hope will be a bright future.

The annual carnival week was jam packed as usual with events and entertainment of all kinds, culminating in the procession on Saturday afternoon.

This gave the public the first glimpse of this year’s South Brent Carnival Club float, ’Birds in Paradise’, manned by the village’s royalty Gracie Clayton, Grace Hanney, Phoebe Lucas, Elisha Matthews and Esme Tempest. They were joined by floats from other towns in Devon, Barnstaple town youth marching band, and plenty of Brent folk on foot and in costume.

The weekend had begun with a very successful carnival dance in the village hall, with events happening all week after last Saturday’s street fair and crowning. Sunday saw the carnival football, won by Let Downs United, before the five kilometre fun run took place in sweltering heat on Monday. There was bingo on Tuesday, with the traditional floral dance on Thursday evening.

After Saturday’s excitement, Sunday wrapped up the week with carnival cricket, the dog show and children’s sports.

Carnival club secretary Jean Cleave said the final weekend had gone "very well", although she was a little disappointed with the number of floats and spectators for the procession.

However, she added: "I asked the girls and they said they had had a good time. They’ve got Ashburton Carnival next weekend, and they are busy then for the rest of the season.

"The dance on Friday night was the best we’ve had for a long time, we had more than 80 people.

"I’d like to thank everyone that helped us in any way. Lots and lots of people helped out over the weekend."

Earlier this year Mrs Cleave and her husband Gerald, who is the club chairman, had gone public to say that unless more committee members could be found there was a real threat the carnival would no longer be able to continue. As well as the summer carnival week, the club also organises the popular winter carnival, drawing floats and visitors from across Devon in November.

Now she said: "We’ve got two new committee members, and they’ve been fantastic. So I hope the carnival’s got a bright future."