Portishead residents have been putting the finishing touches to their entries in preparation for one of the biggest highlights on the town’s calendar.

Schools, groups, businesses and individuals have all been working hard for months to prepare for Portishead’s annual carnival, which takes place on Saturday.

Organisers say that despite the usual struggle to secure lorries, the procession this year will still be as spectacular as ever.

The street parade will kick off with a road race from the Lake Grounds at 12noon. This will be followed by members of the fire brigade, a marching band and an open top bus transporting the town’s very own royal family. A line of colourful floats and walking entrants will then follow, weaving their way along Cabstand and into High Street.

Spectators lining the streets will be asked to dig deep and throw their loose change into collectors’ buckets en route, to support the carnival fund, which distributes grants to local good causes.

High Street will be closed to traffic to allow the parade to make its way through the town to Gordano School where the floats will park up.

The Show Field on the corner of Clapton Lane and Clevedon Road will then be open throughout the afternoon offering everything from fairground rides and stalls to live music and refreshments.

Programmes for the event are available from many High Street shops. Priced �2.50, they detail the day’s events and admit a family of four to the carnival field.

When the sun goes down, an after-carnival party for over 18s will take place at Somerset Hall in High Street. It starts at 8pm and tickets, priced �8, are available from Super Saver in High Street.