HUNDREDS of people flocked to Abergele to welcome the return of one of the oldest surviving carnival parades in North Wales.

Bangor's Batala Drummers, vintage vehicles, a fantastic array of floats and pageant queens from across North Wales joined in at the fun, which started at Tesco carpark before winding down to Pentre Mawr park on Saturday, July 13.

Abergele mayor cllr Shirley Jones-Roberts was on hand with consort cllr Brian Roberts to meet and greet the visitors, while the town's deputy mayor cllr Alan Hunter rang the fire bell to mark the beginning of the parade

Cllr Hunter said: "Being deputy mayor of Abergele this year I had the privilege of riding in the Carnival Parade with my eight year old granddaughter Livia on the 1939 Fire Engine.

"The parade was the usual brilliant mixture of noise and colour with drum bands and a brass band to compliment all the wonderful floats and decorated vehicles. There was a superb mix of stalls and exhibitors on Pentre Mawr park and I got to meet and speak to many of the visitors who all said they were having a wonderful day.

Supported by Abergele town council and Woods Motorcycles of Abergele, the event also had competitions for dance, bonny baby and toddler, glamorous grandparents, Miss and Mr Tesco, fancy dress and fun dog show as well as dapper donkey rides, Madam Mimm’s and a petting zoo from Manorafon Farm.

There were also chainsaw carving displays as well as a wrestling exhibition, and historic re-enactment.

In addition there were exhibitions from the Royal National Lifeboat Institution and Rotary Club of Abergele.