Burnham-On-Sea’s Hillview Carnival Club suffered a ‘nightmare start’ to their carnival season at the rain-soaked Bridgwater Carnival on Friday night (November 5th).
The club’s theatrical-themed cart, called The Show, suffered a puncture at the beginning of the parade, holding up the whole procession behind it.
“We had a disastrous start,” Hillview Chairman Mark Bishop told Burnham-On-Sea.com after Friday night’s carnival.
“Just as we tried to move out at the start of the procession we realised we had a puncture and couldn’t steer properly.”
“I’ve never known anything like it in all my years of being involved in the carnival. We unloaded all the children and then managed to get the puncture repaired. to the team’s credit, we still took part near the back of the procession.”
The cart came third in its category behind Marina Sydenham in first place and Toppers in second.
Mark said he was “pleased” with the result given the problems.
The cost of replacing the tyre is expected be around £500, an unexpcted cost. “We’re keen to hear from anyone who can help us with donations to the costs,” added Mark.
The huge cart, which has cost £12,000 to build, is decorated with over 10,000 lights, half of which are environmentally-friendly.
Heavy rain meant many of the spectators at Friday’s carnival got a good soaking – but they were rewarded with a spectatular show.
Hillview now travel to the North Petherton Carnival tonight (Saturday) before coming home to the Burnham Carnival on Monday evening with high hopes of bouncing back.
Pictured is Hillview’s cart at Friday night’s Bridgwater Carnival – photos from Jonathan Walter
RELATED LINKS:
Guide to Burnham-On-Sea Carnival 2010
