Apathy has killed off Canvey carnival after entertaining islanders for 75 years, it has been revealed.

Members of the carnival committee held a post mortem after the grand procession at the weekend and decided to call it a day after next year's event, blaming lack of community involvement, a heavy workload and insurance costs.

Susan Dallas, whose grandfather Ted Andrews launched the event back in 1925, said the carnival's hey-days came in the 1970s and 1980s.

She blamed the carnival's demise on the lack of support from the people of Canvey.

She said: "The procession was not as big as we would have liked. Local organisations could not make this year's carnival, all at the same time.

"It was a lot of hard work to put in for such a small procession. Next year we will ask every company on the island to get involved and put in a float."

Susan, 32, from Meadway, Canvey, grew up with the carnival just as her 77-year-old mother, Mary, had done.

She said: "Back when my granddad started the carnival is was quite a big event. It was a bigger community event than it is now.

"For the committee it is a sad decision, especially for me and my family, but people being apathetic is a sign of the times."

Celia Slate, spokesman for the carnival committee, said the procession had become smaller over the years and the decision to wind things up came after much soul searching.

She said: "It is with great regret we have taken this decision, but we are all getting older and there is no new blood coming forward. We have become despondent in the last few years with the lack of interest.

"We are all very sad about the decision. We all love doing the carnival, but we are not getting the response that we need. The court will carry on for next year and we will disband after the church service.

"We said we would call next year's show That's All Folks and go out with a big bang. It is time to go out with a bang rather than a whimper."

Fundraising fun - Jenny Cook and Donna Harden got into the carnival spirit at the weekend

Picture: ADAM SCOREY

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