LIPHOOK is gearing up for its biggest event of the year as the annual Liphook Carnival returns on Saturday.

Preparations are being put in place ahead of the day, which will raise money for good causes in the village.

Lots of good causes benefit every year from the funds the carnival raises, including the Peak Centre Trust, 1st Liphook Scout Group and Liphook Guides, and this year will be no different.

The carnival is organised by the carnival and bonfire committee and is a community event which is enjoyed by thousands of people in Liphook and the surrounding area.

Liphook Carnival committee chairman Karen Feeney said: “Preparations are going well.

“There’s not long now until carnival night, which this year takes place on the night the clocks go back.

“We hope people will come along and join in the festivities and of course donate generously in the collecting tins which will be rattled by all our float riders, push and pullers and the walkers.

“The money collected will go straight to local community groups and charities.”

The carnival has been held in Liphook for more than 100 years, and Karen hopes people will continue to come out and support it and help continue the tradition.

“We really hope people will come along and join in the fun,” said Karen.

“It is a great tradition here in Liphook and we are now entering our 114th year, which is quite an achievement.

“We are so lucky to still have our carnival as other villages don’t have theirs.

“We have fought really hard to keep the carnival going and we should be proud of it.

“We are working hard to keep the carnival going.”

There is still time for people to take part in this year’s carnival and enter floats or volunteer to help on the night.

Karen added: “Why not take part this year, we need more floats, walkers, pushers and pullers, it is free to join the procession and is a great way of advertising your business for free.

“We used to have road floats and people who live on the same road can all get together and enter a float to represent their road.

“It doesn’t take a lot to get involved and it would be good to get people who have recently moved to Liphook involved in the carnival.

“You don’t need to have a big lorry, just get dressed up and do something.”