CREATIVITY was evident at this year’s Bridgerule Carnival, which was held on Saturday, July 29, as part of Revel Week.

Bridgerule once again celebrated Revel Week with entertainment every evening, ending with a spectacular carnival procession.

There was rain on carnival day, but Bridgerule people cope well with the wet stuff and carried on regardless, as did the many visitors.

The Revel commenced with the crowning of the new queen, Miss Caitlin Braund.

Caitlin has just spent her final term at Bridgerule Primary School and will now transfer to Holsworthy College. She was attended by Jocelyn Symons and her brother Lucas was page boy. Carnival visitors greeted her warmly.

Holly Trayford, the retiring queen, crowned Caitlin who then proceeded to declare the 2017 Revel Week open. Sideshows then traded and cream teas were served.

A united service at The Methodist Chapel followed, with Rev Doug Adams leading it very appropriately on the theme of ‘crowns’.

Monday evening saw 17 teams entering a skittle/bowls challenge in the village hall. The eventual winners were the ‘Objectors’ entered by Christine Gee, Malcolm and Linda Shadbolt with ‘Beauty and the Beast’ entered by Pete North and friends as runners-up.

Tuesday was show day. Wednesday was the ever popular ramble. Many mums, dads, children and their dogs left the village hall to make their way to ‘Great Beer’ via roads and fields.

Everyone enjoyed their ride back on tractor and trailers. This was followed by a barbecue, grand raffle and music being supplied by ‘The World’s Best Jammin Band’.

Thursday saw a good crowd come to the hall for prize bingo organised by members of Bridgerule Football Club.

A wine and wisdom evening completed the week of events, which saw 19 teams competing against each other to see who had the most wisdom while others just enjoyed the company they were amongst. The eventual winners were ‘The Hopefulls’ , Barry and Joan Marshall and friends with ‘Memory Joggers’ being runners-up.

Saturday was Carnival Day when the heavens opened mid afternoon and never stopped until the procession was over. But the community had worked hard getting their floats together and wasn’t going to let the rain spoil the proceedings — and it didn’t.

On carnival day there was a splendid if very damp band, several well-polished classic and vintage vehicles, plus a good display of commercial vehicles, with a good turnout — one to be proud of.

Marshall Colin Cholwill on his Vintage Massey Ferguson Tractor led the procession, followed by The Tarka Piped Band.

A lot of effort went into the design of this year’s eight tableaus, with awards being given for the ‘most original’ and ‘most humorous’.

The Mary Poppins float was a triumph with Lisa Lucas and Paul Cholwill in charge of a large number of sweep-brush wielding children — it was really spectacular.

The sunflowers always create some friendly competition and this year there were two winners at exactly the same height, the Glidden family and the Cholwill family.

Fun also came in the various shapes and choices of this year’s five very amusing scarecrows situated in people’s front gardens. ‘Minions’ was best scarecrow; Pole Dancer was best idea. There was also a larger than life, yet very cute, cow made from hay bales at Elm Park called ‘Dairy Cow Daisy’.

Soon the bunting will come down, heralding the end of another Bridgerule Revel, but it has been a truly amazing week of fun and friendships.

Thanks have been extended to Sheila and Colin Cholwill for organising much of Revel week, plus the very hard working committee and Sheila’s extra team of very willing helpers.

Thanks have also been extended to Alan Bewes on the loud speaker, and all the generous people who donated raffle prizes and items for the popular bottle tombola.

This year there was a hog roast in the village centre to keep everyone well fed with a busy fish and chip van on the field where the tableau congregated in the rain to be judged.