Hannah follows in mum’s steps

Rachel, of Seaton Crescent, St Annes, filled the same role herself 21 years ago - and fondly recalls the crowning ceremony and the year of fund-raising for Carnival charities which followed.

If any particular points of Rachel’s reign have faded with the passing of the years, an album of photos and cuttings she kept is there to give more detail – and Hannah has delighted in keenly leafing through it as she prepares to take over the crown from Charlotte Griffiths on Saturday afternoon. That was a very special year for me and it has been lovely to share my memories of those times with Hannah,” said Rachel, who was 19 was she represented St Margaret’s Church in the annual town event.

“I will be very proud to see Hannah crowned and I am sure she will have a very enjoyable year which she will always remember.”

Hannah, a Year Five pupil at Mayfield Primary School, will be raising funds for the North West Air Ambulance during her year’s reign and will be supported in her retinue by Lily Webber, Ava and Luca Hepworth, Amber Burge and Charlie Piggott, all fellow pupils at Mayfield.

Her elder sister Emma, now 14 and a student at Lytham St Annes Technology and Performing Arts College, was a member of the retinue for Carnival Queen Elle-Louise Moore in 2010.

Hannah said: “I was super excited when I was told I had been lucky enough to be selected.

“Mum tells me being Carnival Queen is a lot of hard work but I feel very proud to have been chosen and am really looking forward to it.”

For the fifth successive year, the Carnival will be held over two days, with the Saturday morning procession through town and early afternoon crowning - by actress Alice Barry - followed by a wide variety of competitions, fun and games in Ashton Gardens through Saturday afternoon and from 11am to 5pm on Sunday. The traditional Carnival 1500m and 5k runs also feature on Sunday morning.

Carnival chairman Angela Jacques said: “I hope lots of people will join us and make this town event a spectacular success.”