AFTER a three-decade gap, Wallingford Carnival is to have its own queen.

Organisers decided to revive the traditional role of the carnival queen to mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, as well as having the carnival princess and her two attendants.

Casie Marshall, 18, from Wallingford, was chosen by the organisers to be the first carnival queen since 1984.

She will join carnival princess Lily-May Nunn, eight, and her attendants Emily Gomm, nine, and Sophie Fuchs, 10, all from Wallingford, at the carnival tomorrow.

Six teenagers, aged 15 to 18, put their names forward to be carnival queen. The princess and the queen were announced at a family fun night at the town’s Portcullis Club in Goldsmiths Lane on Friday.

Miss Marshall, of Clapcot Way, a former pupil of Wallingford School, works as a barmaid at Hithercroft Sports Park.

She said: “It was a nice surprise to be picked – I’ve been to the carnival for years and I’m looking forward to it.”

Past carnival queens and princesses are being invited to join this year’s fun and the theme of the event is Five Decades of Carnival. The carnival procession is being organised by former mayor Dee Cripps on behalf of Macmillan Cancer Support.

It will start from Hithercroft and pass through the town centre en route to the Kinecroft at about 2pm.

The carnival will feature live music from Queen tribute band The Bohemians and Wallingford School Fun Band.

The Caledonian Pipes and Drums will lead the procession.

Members of Thames Valley Drama School will perform in Market Place, and arena events on Kinecroft will include James Dylan’s International Motorcycle Stunt Show and a dog display team.

The last carnival queen was Julia Rogers in 1984 and the first carnival princess was Yvonne Jones in 1985.