Road closures as thousands head to carnival

The Bridgwater Carnival is one of the largest illuminated processions in Europe

Road closures are in place as thousands of people make their way to the UK's oldest carnival.

The Bridgwater Carnival procession gets under way at 18:00 GMT and is expected to attract more than 100,000 people to the town.

Recognised as the oldest carnival in the UK, and one of the largest illuminated processions in Europe, it is the first of seven annual carnival circuits in the county that happen around bonfire night and date back to the gunpowder plot of 1605.

The day of events began at 10:00 GMT and several roads have been closed in preparation for the procession.

Cornhill, High Street, Lamb Lane and Clare Street have been closed since 08:00 GMT, while Parkway Knowle Road and Trevor Road closed at 12:00 GMT.

From 16:00 GMT the following roads will also be closed:

• Bath Road from Kingsdown to Cross Rifles

• Monmouth Street

• Broadway from Monmouth Street to Taunton Road

• Taunton Road from Broadway to St Mary Street

• St Mary Street, Penel Orlieu, Mount Street Northgate, The Clink, East Quay, Wylds Road

• Bristol Road from The Drove to Cross Rifles

Bridgwater Carnival takes place on the first Saturday of November

More than 2,000 people are involved in bringing the carnival to life, with 99 carts taking part this year.

Alan Windsor, from Marketeers Carnival Club, said the carts take a huge amount of work to get ready.

"[We were] working throughout the night last night, we'll be working until we start Bridgwater Carnival," he said.

About 1,000 people will be performing in the procession, including 90-year-old former Carnival Queen Irene Hill.

Ms Hill, along with many other members of the family, have been involved in the carnival for decades.

"When I was six years old we formed as a club, and it's been ever since then," said Ms Hill, from the Nunsford Nutters Carnival club.

Tiffany Crumrine and her 76-year-old father, Bob Crumrine, are flying 4,635 miles from Colorado, in America, especially to watch the procession.

Ms Crumrine said she came across a video on TikTok last year, which was "like nothing I have ever seen before".