Organisers of a 126-year-old carnival in Kent say they have abandoned the traditional roles of a court king or queen in a bid to be more inclusive.

Bosses at the event in Whitstable will instead search for an "icon" to take on the position of parade figurehead at the annual spectacle this summer.

Chris Stone, who saved the historic event from extinction in 2019 after the entire organising committee retired, is again heading up the celebrations.

But there will be no conventional court representing the town at the procession in August – a decision one three-time carnival queen has described as “a real shame for Whitstable”.

But Mr Stone says the move is intended to open up the position to anybody, male or female, young or old, and is encouraging anyone who believes they represent the “bonkers” spirit of the town to put themselves forward.

He said: “We’ve decided against having a carnival court this year.

“After we took over in 2019, we had a carnival king the first year - a lad who was dressed up as Elvis – and last year we had a couple of girls who wanted to be princesses so we put them in the carriage.

“But this is the first year we are doing what we are calling the Whitstable icon.

“We’re looking for someone who is original, interesting, to come dressed up, but people can interpret it in anyway they want.

“I don’t want to say [carnival courts] are old fashioned or sexist really because there are lots of carnivals that continue to do that - we just felt that we needed to do something different.

“We just want to open it up and broaden the appeal somewhat. We would like it to be that an old person can turn up, be fabulous and wow the crowds.

“So anybody who is a bit interesting really, just come to the meeting and show us what you’ve got.”

Former Whitstable Carnival committee member Estelle Short – who was Miss Herne Bay in 1993 and Miss Ash in 1994 and 1996 – accepts not everyone agrees with the concept of a carnival court.

But she is a huge advocate of the tradition continuing, highlighting how the various roles are character-building for youngsters.

“Being a carnival queen was an honour,” she said, adding that the loss of the role is a “real shame for Whitstable”.

“To be chosen out of all those who entered to represent my town, to build my confidence, meeting new people, making speeches to a room full of people, certainly helped me later in life when I became a registrar and when I am up on stage with Theatrecraft in various shows.

“I appreciate not everyone values those skills you learn from it - or agrees with it in today’s modern society - but no one forces you to enter.

“Believe me, it changed my life, as it was how I met my husband almost 30 years ago, and this year we celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary, so it was certainly a turning point in my life.”

Mrs Short was on the carnival committee in 2018 when the event made national headlines for opening up its Miss Whitstable competition to boys for the first time since its inception in 1897.

This move was prompted by a wane in interest from young women in the town to take part in tradition, with not a single girl turning up to the selection meeting in 2018.

They did eventually find willing participants to take on the roles of the carnival queen and her princesses that year, but in 2019 the new organisers decided to pivot completely and crowned Whitstable’s first ever carnival king.

Maurice Houston, then aged just five, won over judges with his “king of rock and gull” costume.

Now four years on from taking the reins – during which there was a two-year Covid hiatus – the new committee is going one step further by introducing two new titles to replace the roles of king and queen.

This year the Surrey carriage will be populated by the first ever Whitstable icon and second runner up, vice icon.

The 126th anniversary Whitstable Carnival is planned to take place on Saturday, August 5.

This year the theme is “Cleaner Coast Carnival” in celebration of Whitstable’s coastal heritage and to highlight the danger it faces.

The procession will set off at 5.30pm, travelling along Tankerton Road, Tower Parade, Harbour Street, the High Street, Oxford Street and Canterbury Road to Saddleton Road over the course of about two hours.

Anyone wishing to put themselves forward for the honour of being crowned Whitstable icon should attend the selection meeting at the Labour Club on July 2.

On the introduction of the new title, organiser Chris Stone said: “Whatever you think come join us because that's what makes carnival day great.

“It's a celebration of the community. It's an opportunity for us to show off, be fabulous for the day and just enjoy ourselves.

“We hope the Whitstable icon will represent the spirit of Whitstable in all its bonkersness.”