ROSS Carnival is back and the town council want local people to be part of it/

is back – and we want YOU to be part of it!

After an incredible response from the community, the town’s annual carnival returns after an absence of five years on Saturday, August 1, and now is your chance to help make this long-awaited celebration bigger, brighter and more colourful than ever.

There are opportunities to join the walking parade for free and grants of up to £100 are available to local groups to help with costumes and decoration of non-motorised entries.

Suggest ideas for inspiration a tandem bike decorated as a steam train or a parcel trolley as a pirate ship or even a pedal go-kart which has been transformed into a giant snail.

This is a chance for local organisations to showcase their creativity, promote and help fill the streets of Ross-on-Wye with colour, music and community spirit!

Additionally, the town council are looking for nominations to become the carnival prince or princess.

This is aimed at children who represent the wonderful community spirit of the town. The successful nominees will lead the parade and support the mayor in judging parade categories.

Do you know a child aged between five and11 who would fill this royalty role. To make your nomination, complete the form on line at the town council’s website before midnight on Friday July 17.

The title of Prince and Princess will be chosen by the Carnival’s sponsors; Domino’s, JEH Laundry Services, Rehau and Dawley’s.

To coincide with the parade the Ross Town Carnival Odd Object competition has been launched.

This year’s competition runs from noon on Saturday July 11 to noon on Friday, July 31 and begins with collecting a sheet containing a circular walk around Ross shops, starting at the Market Square where the information sheets and entry form will be made available.

The objective is for children to visit all the shops displaying the carnival poster with the distinctive hedgehog on it and write in the space next to the shop what you think the object is, being as accurate as you can.

And when the sheet has been completed, parents or guardian have been asked to sign the back of the form and return it to Made in Ross at the Market House.

The age categories are aged nine and under; 10 to 16 and those aged over 17.

The competition winners will be announced at the carnival after it arrives at the Rope Walk. There are wo prizes per age group have kindly been donated by members of The Ross Business Association: Woolly and Fluff and Lizzie Bunting (under nine) Bright and Beautiful & EnviroAbility (under 16) and @ Broad Street and Lalena Jewellery (those aged over 17)

Winners may be photographed for publicity purposes.

So with the deadline at the end of July there is plenty of time to complete the quiz from this Saturday and submit it to Made in Ross at the Market House for judging.