New carnival parade aims to bring joy to Longton

Isla Telford (centre), from the Urban Wilderness team, said they wanted to bring "collective joy back to Longton"

A giant puppet of a pig will head through Stoke-on-Trent this year as part of a new event to tell a local origin story.

The Pig Walk will take place on 26 March and see the puppet lead a carnival procession around Longton.

Community interest company Urban Wilderness is behind it and spokeswoman Isla Telford says it is inspired by a story about a previous town mayor.

"We wanted to bring some collective joy back to Longton," she said.

The event is centred around John Aynsley, who was mayor of Longton in the 19th Century and helped raise funds for Queen's Park and a cottage hospital.

One of the ways he was said to have raised money, the group said, was by winning a bet when he was challenged to drive a pig to Longton market.

Residents said they missed the old carnival processions which used to be held across the city, the company said.

"People really enjoyed that opportunity to get together, make something, get out on the streets and have a good time," Ms Telford said.

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