THE BLUES of the last seven months were washed away for an evening as hundreds of people lined the streets on Saturday to enjoy the colour and splendour of Okehampton Carnival.

With crowds bigger then ever and more people taking part in the event, organisers were delighted with the support and the good weather was the icing on the cake.

Of the 22 floats involved in the carnival, the crepe paper construction 'Paint Your Wagon' by the Butt, Cooper and Mills family was judged overall winner.

Jill Mills achieved something her mother June Gliddon never had: 'I took part in the carnival for years but always came second or third,' said June.

'I am over the moon for Jill — I keep pinching myself because I cannot believe it.'

First in the Open Artistic Class was Zale Carnival Club's 'Spellbound' involving the Easterbrook, White, Glover and Hooper families, who have been winners in the last five carnivals.

Jan Easterbrook said the secret of her success was 'letting her imagination run wild.'

'The kids do all the hard work on the float— they bring it all alive,' she said.

Taking part in his first carnival, young Ethan Hoggins, who will be two in February, won over the judges in the walkers section with 'Noddy and Co'.

With his mum as Big Ears and grannie as Mr Plod, it was truly a family affair.

Prize winners were as follows: All day collectors (crepe paper) — 1, Oke Pearlies; 2, Many Hands (Yvonne Lucas & Emma Bailey); 3, Flaming Hell (Dave Elson) and First Night of the Proms (Gilly Gilbert); (non crepe paper) — 1, Purple Monster (Neil Bisby); 2, Dalmatian (Michelle Penna); 3, In My Day and Red Riding Hood (Valerie Harvey).

Children's Fancy Dress: Girls 11-15 — 1, Snow Queen (Lisa Morgan); 2, Glizy (Kirsty Reynolds); 3, Scarecrow (Claire Mortimore). Boys 11-15 — 1, Rat Catcher (Philip Reynolds). Girls 8-10 — 1, Sea Witch (Kelly Stephenson); 2, Queen of Hearts (Kathleen Morgan); 3, Flower (Claire Morgan). Boys 8-10 — 1, Hickory, Dickory Dock (Wayne Stephenson); 2, Farmer (Christopher Reynolds); 3, Where's my Car? (Christopher Morgan). Girls 5-7 — 1, Katie in a Box (Katy Bolt); 2, Pink Panther (Alice Mortimore). Boys 5-7 — 1, Buzz Lightyear (Zachary Middleton); 2, Milky Bar Kid (Matthew Thornley); 3, Shrek (Ruben Forrester). Girls under 5 — 1, Caterpillar (Rhian Kirk); 2, Elf Service (Alama Skrzypczak); 3, Mummy's Little Angel (Casey Princewell). Boys under 5 — 1, Blackbeard the Pirate (Luke Daniel); 2, Bob the Builder (Brad Curtis). Pairs 7 and under — 1, Pebbles and Bam Bam (Jenna & Thomas Pengelly); 2, Bill and Ben (Callum Payne and George Haskell); 3, Miss Muffet and the Spider (Chloe Smaridge and Edward Haskell). Pairs 8-10 — 1, Fisherman & the Mermaid (Maddy and Jasmin Vallance); 2, Tudors (Rebecca and Isabelle Ewan); 3, Bill and Ben (Benjamin and Joseph Winsor). Groups up to 5 — 1, Bill and Ben and Little Weed (Kelly and Charlotte Dodd, Kai Middleton); 2, Toy Box (Elliot and Lydia Hunt, Nicola Payne); 3, Goldilocks and the 3 Bears. Groups over 5 — 1, Puppy Power (The Friday Girls); 2, Tudor Group (Okehampton Primary School). Wheeled Vehicle — 1, Noddy (Ethan Hoggins); 2, Minnie Mouse (Deanna Cherry); 3, Little Mermaid (Sephora Ronan).

Best pair or group — Bill and Ben and Little Weed. Best crepe paper — Sea Witch. Best wheeled vehicle and best overall — Noddy.

Shop window competition — 1, Heathers (Florist); 2, Briggs Shoes; 3, Toy Box. Best charity shop — 1, Hospiscare; 2, Devonair; 3, Okehampton United Church.

Evening and adult classes: Artistic tableaux with at least 50 per cent crepe paper — 1, Paint Your Wagon (Butt, Mills and Cooper); 2, Rainbows End (Osman and Reynolds family); 3, Passage to India (James, Bond, Ash and Cornwall families). Artistic tableaux open — 1, Spellbound (Zale Carnival Club). Comic tableaux — 1, Alice's Adventure in Amsterdam (King's Arms, South Zeal)); 2, Clowning Around (South Zeal WI); 3, Bob the Builder (Winkleigh YFC). Original/topical tableaux — 1, Wizard of Oz (Chumleigh YFC); 2, Blue Planet (Connor and Liversidge families); 3, Inspiration (Church of the Nations). Tradesmen's tableaux — 1, The Old Woman who lived in a Shoe (Chrissie's Private Hire); 2, Getting There (Rural Youth Transport Project); 3, Nightsounds Roadshow. Costumed collectors (single) — 1, Over the Rainbow; 2, The Monster (Neil Bisby); 3, Toy Soldier. Costumed collectors (pairs) — 1, Okehampton Pink Rocker. Costumed collectors (Groups of 3 of more crepe paper) — 1, Moulin Rouge; 2, In My Day; 3, Things that go bump in the night. Costumed collectors (non-motorised vehicles) — 1, Noddy. Costumed collectors-crepe paper — 1, First Night of the Proms (Gilly Gilbert); 2, Okey Pearlier; 3, Many Hands Make Light Work. Under 16 walking guys — 1, Tudor Group (Okehampton primary School); 2, Rat Catcher (Philip Reynolds).

Visiting queen (float) — 1, Bude Carnival Royalty; 2, Holsworthy Fairy Queen. Visiting queen (car) — 1, Hatherleigh; 2, Whitstone; 3, Tavistock. Best young farmers — Wizard of Oz. Best Visiting Tableaux —Spellbound. Best local tableaux — Paint Your Wagon. Best overall tableaux — Paint Your Wagon.