Mother and baby elephant pair set to take centre stage in town carnival procession

A pair of life-sized elephant puppets will be one of the star attractions at this year's Sheringham Carnival, which kicks off on Saturday (August 3) with events including a sandcastle competition and a family concert at St Peter's Church.

Crowning day on Sunday opens at 11am with children's activities and games on the Leas clifftop gardens, with other attractions ranging from charity stalls, a climbing wall and a display by youngsters from True Motion Dance, to a Yak 52 air display, tile painting and Newfoundland dog rescue demonstration on the beach at 11am, and on the Leas at 2pm.

Town crier Andrew Cunningham Brown will announce the arrival of Carnival Queen Emma Taylor and her attendant Alisha Redgrave at 2pm, with the royal party joined by the prince and princess for the crowning ceremony.

The lead-up to parade day continues on Monday with 'beach mayhem' for all the family, which takes place in front of the Leas from 2.30pm, while other events include a percussion instrument-making workshop at St Peter's Church, prize bingo at the Tyneside Club and a quiz at the Crown pub.

Crazy contraptions will rattle their way down Church Street and High Street in the hugely popular carnival street races at 6pm on Tuesday, while the main carnival day Wednesday promises to be an event to remember, with attractions including a fairground, stalls, a fete with craft stalls on the seafront and music from Croydon Steel Band.

Floats will line up on Station Road car park for judging at 5.45pm, before following mother and calf elephant puppets created for this year's Norwich Lord Mayor's Celebration along the procession route from Cromer Road, to Church Street and Station Road.

Carnival committee member Paula Prince said that with a traditional formula as well as a number of new and exciting features, this year's event, which ends on August 11 with a torchlit procession and fireworks display, promised to provide "buckets of fun" for all the family.

"I think it is going to be amazing, the weather forecast looks great and we are especially excited to have the elephants," she added.

The carnival prince and princess selection party runs at the Lighthouse Church, Cromer Road, from 2pm-4pm on Friday. Children wanting to take part should be under age 12 and live within five miles of St Peter's Church.

For more information, pick up a programme from Sheringham Tourist Information Centre, Starlings toyshop or the carnival caravan or visit the Sheringham Carnival (official) Facebook page.