The two-week Bungay Festival reached its colourful and successful climax on Sunday with a parade of floats through the town and a fete at the Castle Meadow.

THE two-week Bungay Festival reached its colourful and successful climax on Sunday with a parade of floats through the town and a fete at the Castle Meadow.

Hundreds of people lined the streets to watch the procession, led by the town crier, Les Knowles, and the Southwold and Reydon Corps of Drums, and with the town reeve, Richard Cundy, and the town mayor, Judy Cloke, riding in a vintage Alvis driven by Philip Evans.

The two dignitaries judged the procession entries, and voted the Emmanuel Pre-School the best overall, with the Bungay Taekwondo Club taking the cup for the best large float for the second year running.

The cup for the best individual entry went to Angus Stewart, who took his vintage car into the event, while the Fisher Youth Theatre Group won the prize for the best small float. The best walking entry was judged to be Bungay St John Badgers and Pilots.

The parade also included entries by Bungay Toddler Group, 1st Earsham Brownies, and 1st Bungay Rainbows, while the Beccles Carnival Queen and her attendants rode in an open top car.

The Bungay Fire Service engine was at the front and the St John Ambulance at the rear. Bungay Area Lions Cub and Suffolk County Council provided marshals along the route to make sure all went safely.

At the Castle Meadow stalls and games were set up by local organisations for visitors to enjoy, and there was a display by the taekwondo club, before the Corps of Drums played for the crowds, and for the ceremony of the lowering of the Bigod Flag at the castle – the traditional ending of the festival.

The mayor thanked everyone who had been involved in planning and organising the two weeks of activities, which included top jazz singer Clare Teal in a memorable concert in the Castle Meadow marquee on Friday evening – an event enjoyed by more than 300 people and organised by the Fisher Theatre.

Mrs Cloke particularly thanked carnival committee chairman Keith Parker.