After the disappointment of last year's carnival being rained off, people in Peacehaven made the most of the day this year.

Thousands of revellers took part in a parade through the town before attending a party at The Joff Field on one of the hottest days of the year so far.

Candida Terry, chairwoman of the carnival organising committee, said: "It's been absolutely fantastic, everybody's had a good time. For me the highlight of the day was the parade. I've never seen so many people on the South Coast Road."

The parade featured dancers from Eclipse Dance Studio and Studio 54 carrying a long rope to ensure nobody was left behind.

There were no floats this year because of the high cost of insurance but there were two carnival queens, 11-year-old twins Natalie and Jessica Spice.

The parade set off from Greenwich Way at 11am and went along Arundel Road, Keymer Avenue and the South Coast Road before ending up at The Joff Field.

A competition to see who could build the best scarecrow was won by Meridian Athletic Football Club, with an entry bearing an uncanny resemblance to England star Michael Owen.

Joyce Vizer, of the carnival committee, said: "It's been a fantastic day, better than we had expected. There were probably 3,500 people there and everybody was having so much fun."

Money raised is to be split between charities including Sussex Air Ambulance and the Royal National Lifeboat Institution.