THE theme of this year's Ledbury Carnival will be "heroes and villains", but members of the Ledbury Carnival programme are already showing themselves to be community heroes themselves, by launching a busy build-up campaign for 2016.

Carnival committee chairman, Hilary Jones said: "It is now getting to that time of year when items on our agenda start to happen.

"The theme voted winner at the annual general meeting is "Heroes and Villains"."

Now the search is on to find the right cover for the programme.

Ms Jones said: "There is currently a selection process ongoing to find the winner of the programme cover competition, which involved local children of primary school age."

Each year the Carnival costs around £8000 to stage, and the ball for this year will be set rolling with a fundraising quiz at the Royal British Legion Club in Church Street, on Friday May 6, from 7.30 pm.

The following day, the Carnival Princess competition, to find this year's Carnival Princess and her two helpers, will be held at the Royal British Legion Club, from 2pm.

The committee hopes the heroes and villains theme will catch the public imagination and "encourage participants in the procession, either by entering a float, riding or walking".

A shop window decorating competition, in support of the Carnival, is also being organised.

Raffle tickets for the Carnival's grand draw will be on sale from July 30.

This year's Ledbury Carnival will take place on Monday, August 29.

A highlight is always the grand procession will travels from the Rugby Club, up New Street, into the town centre and ends up at Ledbury Primary.

The Bank Holiday spectacular has been known to attract crowds in excess of 10,000 to Ledbury Town Centre, making this the single largest one day annual event for the town.