Hundreds of people lined the streets of Sheerness for this year’s Sheppey Carnival.

A funfair and fireworks added to the fun on Saturday, along with the parade through the town.

Carnival courts from across Kent took part and various groups and businesses joined in the fun by entering floats.

Daddy Cool, a fathers’ group from Seashells Children’s Centre, Sheerness, won the big prize for best float for the fifth year in a row with their entry: Here Comes The Circus.

This year the Zulu children took part for the first time in a float dressed as Hawaiians.

There was a surprise performance by singer Charlotte Howard who appeared on ITV’s X-Factor in 2012.

She sang by the clock tower and also joined in the parade dressed as Minnie Mouse.

The rumour mill was in overdrive on Twitter on Saturday when people tweeted falsely that other X-Factor acts District 3 and even
One Direction were due to attend.

The collection was down this year at a total of £917.35, which will go towards next year’s carnival. It was less than half of 2012’s record £2,272.53.

The lower amount was attributed to poor weather and the fact the normal route was changed from along Richmond Street and St Helen’s Road to Alma Road and Cavour Road.

This was due to one side of the road being closed due to the fire in the Glass House in June.

Some problems with road closures were sorted out just in time for the parade.

Joan McCall, treasurer of the Sheppey Carnival Committee, said: “It has been quite stressful because of the extra bureaucracy that was placed on us by the council. It is getting beyond a joke now.”

She added the committee will have to “play it by ear” and hopefully raise enough money throughout the year to hold the next event in 2014.

• For three pages of pictures from the carnival, buy tomorrow's Sheerness Times Guardian.