A SEASIDE carnival is making a big change to one of its traditional features - and is looking for a full royal court.Felixstowe Carnival may be having to scale down some of its entertainment this summer because of funding problems, but wants to make the most of its parade and royalty.

A SEASIDE carnival is making a big change to one of its traditional features - and is looking for a full royal court.

Felixstowe Carnival may be having to scale down some of its entertainment this summer because of funding problems, but wants to make the most of its parade and royalty.

Organisers are this year looking for not just a carnival queen and princesses, but also a carnival king, prince . . . and even a queen mother.

Carnival secretary Sandie Doran said: “We thought it would be a lot of fun if we could make a real feature of the royalty this time.

“Every carnival has a carnival queen, and we thought it would be nice to go a bit further and have a king and possibly a queen mum!

“It would make a lovely attraction and with the chance for the royal court to go to other events and carnivals in the area all summer, it could provide some people with a great time and some super days out.

“The people don't need to already know each other and could be of different ages - we are asking for applications from girls, boys, men, women from the age of six to 100!”

The carnival has a carnival king and queen once before back in the 1980s but has since stuck to the traditional queen and two princesses - last year 17-year-old beauty therapy student Casey Amass with princesses, Grace Lake and Sharnah-Rose Foley, represented the town.

Its twin town Wesel, which always sends a contingent to take part in the procession, has always had a carnival prince and princess.

Anyone interested in taking part in the royal court should get in touch with the committee via its website www.felixstowecarnival.org or ring Sandie Doran on 01394 670288 by Wednesday April 29.

Applicants will be advised of the time and date of interviews after that date.

Do you like the idea of a carnival king and queen mum? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN, or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk