THIS is, historically, the weekend when Brockenhurst residents would have crammed the streets and parks in support of the village’s carnival.

With this in mind – the Daily Echo takes a look at the event in the 1980s.

The oldest member of Brockenhurst Village Hall Committee was decked out in 1984 when he became town crier for the day to lead the procession.

Walter Knox attacked his role with gusto, delivering a booming voice made for the job.

Hundreds of people got into the spirit of the event, entering the fancy dress and float procession, watching from the pavements and packing into Brockenhurst College for the accompanying fair.

Wet conditions threatened to ruin proceedings the following year after Hurricane Charley left much of the New Forest underwater.

But villagers didn’t allow their spirits to be dampened as they bravely went ahead with their carnival procession.

Everyone deserved a prize,” said John Launchbury, one of the organisers.

Sheltering under umbrellas in a horse-drawn station luggage cart were carnival queen Philippa Capon, prince Steven Barford and princess Abigail.

Disaster struck in 1986 when a 13-year-old boy was trapped between a car and a trailer in the procession.

The accident happened in North Road as the trailer, carrying Carnival Queen Anna Hyde, swung round a corner.

He was taken to Southampton General Hospital and was allowed home after treatment.

The show went on and saw Texan oil moguls, country bumpkins, musketeers, Robin Hood and Roman soldiers parading through Brockenhurst.