THE count down is on for the 94th annual Prestwich Carnival which is now just days away.

The colourful celebration of the village and its community will return to St Mary’s Park for a two day extravaganza on the weekend of June 23 and 24.

A family Fun Day will take place on the Saturday featuring a funfair, stalls village, music and more, from 1pm to 5pm.

A Big Day celebration of the community will then be held on the Sunday, when growers and makers of all things wonderful are invited to display their unique items in the carnival’s marquee.

Youth and Community group, The Phoenix Centre, will be hosting a creative activity hub in the heart of the park where children can try out a range of arts and crafts.

The weekend will culminate with a Grand Parade on the Sunday, starring dozens of floats and participants including Bloco Ash Samba Band, TRU Majorettes and the 1st Lancs Mohawks.

Miss Lancashire, Elle Finch, will also grace the parade and will take to the carnival's stage on Sunday.

This year’s parade will be starting one hour earlier, setting off from Pados House in Rectory Lane at 12pm.

It will then weave its way down Whitaker Lane, Bury Old Rad, Nursery Road, Poppythorn Lane, Fairfax Road and Bury New Road to reach St Mary’s Park at 1.30pm.

For 2018, the carnival has secured funding through Ambition for Ageing to provide a programme of activities with 60 Prestwich residents, aged over 50.

In a bid to tackle social isolation and loneliness, build civic pride and help the elderly residents join in the carnival fun, the Silver Service project will put on a sit-down lunch with entertainment and activities.

The carnival will also be celebrating the activities of an inspirational young person in its Young Citizen of the Year award.

Groups and individuals are being asked to put forward their nominees for the award by emailing them to enquiry@prestwichcarnival.co.uk.

They can also get involved in the carnival’s programme selling scheme, allowing groups to keep 50 per cent of all the proceeds raised by their sales.

Prestwich Carnival organiser, Frank Shatliff, said: “Preparations for this year’s carnival are going very well.

“There is a lot going on this year and the parade should be longer.

“The carnival is really important to the people of Prestwich and we are keeping something alive that has been going for years and years where others have fallen by the wayside.”