More work needs to be done before Hellesdon can have a new carnival according to the former chairman of the carnival committee.

This week a group announced it was in the early stages of bringing a carnival back after this year's event was cancelled.

Four members of the former carnival committee had resigned in February after disagreements with the parish council, and the 2016 event will no longer go ahead.

Since then the parish said it welcomed expressions of interest to hire the recreation ground and run a carnival 'without having to work within the compliance of local government'.

Des Jones-Blackett, the former chairman of the carnival committee, said: 'Obviously I would like to see this go ahead, but that depends on how things go forward. If the council let him go ahead as a free agent with no interfering there is a potential but there is a long way to go yet.

'He will have to take his proposal to the council; and his organisation is only looking to me for some sort of guidance and what contacts he needs to make.

'If this does go ahead I will support him all the way. There is a lot of detail to be done, and it is not just putting a few stalls up in a field. There is a lot of health and safety to worry about, and insurance and policing.

'I am not committing myself until we find out what can be done and what restrictions might be put on it.'

Hellesdon Parish Council has meanwhile distanced itself from the new event.

A spokesman said: 'This is a stand-alone enterprise by an individual and their associates, who, it would appear, wish to start a new public event modelled on a carnival format.

'To date no formal discussion has taken place, and will not take place until a robust business plan has been received.'