A plea has gone out to the people of Whitstable to save the town’s carnival from “dying on its feet”.

The event, which takes place every August, has lacked support in recent years and organisers have said if it doesn’t receive enough backing from residents in 2015 it will not be held again.

It was one of the biggest and most popular carnivals in the South East but organisers were close to giving up this year after a disappointing show in 2014.

Carol Simmons of the carnival committee said: “It’s a long tradition in Whitstable and it will be very sad if this is our last year.

“If it doesn’t go well this year it could be the last one.

“Everything now goes on to the Oyster Festival, with people coming down from London, but our carnival is for Whitstable.

“We can only arrange the day and can’t force people to enter but if we could get the numbers up it would make a longer carnival and make it successful again.”

Barber Glenn Snook, 56, who has supported the event for many years, reckons the carnival is a shadow of its former self and is calling on local businesses to support it.

He said: “Every year recently it has gone farther downhill. The number of floats and people taking part has dwindled away.

“It’s been getting smaller for some years. It’s not the fault of the carnival committee.

“They’re doing their best to keep it alive but it’s the public who really make the carnival. For some reason their enthusiasm seems to have fallen off.”

The carnival, which will be held for the 118th time this year, will take place on Saturday, August 1, and costs £4,500 to put on.

“The warning to all is: you don’t use it you’ll lose it..." - Glenn Snook

Mrs Simmons said: “It is just about people putting in the entries for the parade.

“We can’t force people into entering. You don’t have to have to have a lorry to enter. You can decorate your car or bring your own buggy along – anything.

“It does help the community but unfortunately carnivals are dying all around the country. There used to be 20 around the county and now there’s only 12.

“There’s such a lot of restrictions when organising them and the money it costs to put it on.”

Mr Snook, whose barber shop is based in Swalecliffe, says businesses in the area should now help to support the event.

He added: “Local businesses need to be made fully aware of the situation and encouraged to throw their weight behind it in their own interests and in the interests of the town itself.

“But if something is not done the carnival is in danger of dying on its feet.

“It’s a major and very positive event in the town and has been for as long as any can remember. But the stark truth is that it is in danger of folding.

“The warning to all is: you don’t use it you’ll lose it.”