HIPPIES straight from the 1960s mixed with flapper girls from the Roaring Twenties and even a modern-day Where’s Wally at the annual Upton Carnival last weekend.

Hundreds gathered at the colourful event to enjoy all the fun of the fair, with organisations and schools gathering beforehand to lead a procession to the recreation ground.

Crowds followed brightly-coloured floats from Factory Road before the carnival began in earnest shortly after 2pm.

Lynn Wright of the town’s Big Lottery-funded Beacon Project said: “It’s been an absolutely marvellous day.

“We’ve been surprised by the sheer number of people who have come along to enjoy themselves. It’s a great event for everybody and we’re so pleased about its success this year.”

Seven-month-old Amelia visited the carnival for the first time with mum Jodie Hooper.

Jodie, who lives in Upton, said: “We’re really enjoying the day.

“It’s fantastic to see how much work people have put into their floats. It’s a lovely thing for Upton.”

Lindsay and Bob Oliver live along the parade route, and said they attend the carnival every year.

And Mrs Oliver said she hopes the festival will return again.

The 2014 event is the last to be funded by the Big Lottery Fund’s Reaching Communities programme, which three years ago awarded Dorset Community Action £348,025.

“I don’t know whether this carnival will be the last one, but I hope they carry on,” she said.

“Residents will really need to get behind it next year – it’s a fantastic event, and a lot of time and effort goes into it each year.”

However, Mrs Wright said: “It is the final year of the funding, but we’ll be continuing the initiative as a charity, renamed the Beacon Association.

“We hope that people continue to support us, as they have done so brilliantly already.”