Chelmsford Carnival has been cancelled for the first time in living memory.

According to organiser Christine Rolfe, the carnival is broke and needs time to renew and repair its rusting and creaking floats and to find money for the outfits of the carnival queen and her princesses.

The shock decision to call off the 1999 event was revealed to This is Essex on Wednesday. Now the committee is set to spend the summer fund-raising.

A bid to the National Lottery is also being considered, with about £4,000 needed to put the carnival back on the road, said Ms Rolfe.

"The main float was making creaking noises last year and is rusty underneath. It needs either a complete overhaul or replacing. The other float needs a complete rethink and we have just not had the time or the money to do it.

"I have every intention of there being a carnival next year. My little committee has been running the show for five years and managed to increase the number of floats from four to 44, although there were only 38 last year and we only made £450 for our charities."

The 1988 carnival raised £8,500, £4,000 of which went to charity.

"We need between £3,000 and £4000 to put things right," said Ms Rolfe. Dresses cost between £300 and £500 each, and we need four.

"Marching bands cost from £175 each, and an event like the Honda Imps motorbikes cost £2,000 a day."

The court will be taking "walking parts" in other carnivals and can attend other local events.

It is also available to take part in the Chelmsford 800 anniversary torchlight procession in September.

Deputy carnival queen Leanne Grant in Chelmsford town centre this week.

Picture by GRAHAM LIDDELL

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.