COLCHESTER'S deposed carnival queen says she has been punished for trying to help her home town.

She was ousted a few days before the big parade tomorrow (Saturday).

Speaking out for the first time since she was removed from her role, Sharnie-May Allwright said she now regretted putting her name forward in the first place.

The 16-year-old was axed in favour of former Miss East Anglia, Joanna Peagram, amid claims she was “hostile” and used bad language in front of her young carnival princesses.

She hotly denied using swear words and said she had no cause for regret over her behaviour.

Sharnie, who starts college at Colchester Institute next week, said: “I got involved with this for a simple reason – to represent Colchester for the carnival.

“It has not been going for ten years and I thought it would be fun to get involved and try to do something for the town.

“I never thought I would have to go through all this. It has really put me through hell.

“In the eyes of people in my neighbourhood and family and friends, I look bad – I don’t know what to do.”

Sharnie added: “I told all my family and friends I was going to be the carnival queen and now they are all ringing me up because it has been made to look like it was my fault.

“I’m 16, I’m going to college and it’s going to look like I’m a bad person.”

Carnival court organiser Pam Boon brought in 22-year-old Miss Peagram, from Frinton, who is on the books of her modelling agency, as she said Sharnie was “not a good role model”.

She said relatives of the princesses, who are aged between six and 12, had complained about bad language during a photoshoot at Sharnie’s house in Queen Mary Avenue, Berechurch.

Sharnie said: “I certainly didn’t swear when people came round for the photoshoot.

“We were only talking about the fact it was going to be stressful finding dresses in time for the carnival, and we never said a bad word against Pam.

“Right now, I am just wishing I had never got involved.”