ONCE a year the street and parks of Brockenhurst are crammed with revelers in support of the village’s carnival.

These pictures show the carnival through the 1980s.

The oldest member of Brockenhurst Village Hall Committee was decked out in 1984 when he became town crier for the day to lead the procession. Walter Knox attacked his role with gusto and provided a booming voice made for the job.

Hundreds of people got into the spirit of the event, entering the fancy dress and float procession, watching from the pavements and packing into Brockenhurst College for the accompanying fair.

Wet conditions threatened to ruin proceedings the following year after Hurricane Charley left much of the New Forest underwater. But villagers didn’t allow their spirits to be dampened as they bravely pressed on with their carnival procession.

"Everyone deserved a prize," said John Launchbury, one of the organisers