Honiton Carnival Committee are keen to ensure the event continues.

The new faces of Honiton Carnival have been crowned and are keen to ensure the event continues in the town.

Alistair Salter was elected as the new chairman of Honiton Carnival Committee during its annual meeting last Thursday, at the Turks Head Lodge, and will replace the outgoing chairman Bill Austin, who stepped down after six years.

He will be joined by Robb Sleeman as the new vice-chairman and Emma Salter as treasurer.

Mr Salter said: “I am looking forward to the challenge. It will be hard work but we could do with more people on the committee.

“We have lost Bill and Marie and they are going to be missed.

He added: “If I don’t do it - who will? Someone has to carry it on.

“Everyone on the committee is going to help and we want it to continue.”

During the meeting the outgoing chairman Bill Austin and treasurer Marie Austin announced they would be resigning from their posts and as members of the carnival committee.

Mr Austin said: “I am definitely finishing now.

“The only reason is because the fundraising side was so useless.

“Every one of our fund-raisers lost money.”

However, they both said they would still be willing to help in any way they can with the event.

Members heard that the committee had ended the year with a profit of �895 despite fund-raising events being down for the year.

Mr Austin thanked everyone for their hard work over the last 12 months and thanked all the sponsors and added “without them there would not be a carnival in Honiton”.

The new chairman, Mr Salter, is now urging more people to get involved to ensure the event continues by becoming a committee member or a sponsor.