In pictures: Carnival parade returns to Northampton

Northampton Carnival featured dancing troupes from across the UK

Colour, music, and dancing returned to a town centre as its carnival was back for the first time since the pandemic.

The Northampton parade began and ended at the Racecourse park and took a route through most of the town's busiest streets.

For the last two years the carnival has been held virtually due to Covid-19.

Morcea Walker, the event co-ordinator, said during Saturday's parade "you can see the joy on people's faces, it's such a lovely feeling".

Colourful and elaborate costumes were worn by many of the dancers

Dancing troupes were made up of adults and children from the town and around the UK

The carnival also featured stalls, food and performances before and after the parade at the Racecourse.

Ms Walker said the event was "fabulous".

But she admitted some groups who would have previously taken part were unable to as they had "not fully recovered from Covid", although they hoped to be back in 2023.

St Crispins retirement village took part in the parade in a vintage double-decker bus

The residents of the retirement village waved Union flags from the bus

Several schools and community groups were in the parade as well as touring carnival performers.

Myrle Roach, from the Northampton Carnival Arts Consortium, said Northampton "deserved" a party.

"The smells, the sights and sounds of carnival are back," she said.

For many this was their first carnival since the pandemic

Mental Health charity the Lowdown was one of the many groups to take part in the carnival

The carnival's theme this year was "a summer of jubilation"