THE search for Cromer's carnival queen is casting its net a bit further this year.The catchment area for would-be Miss Cromers is the dozen local parishes in the patch covered by the Poppyland Partnership.

THE search for Cromer's carnival queen is casting its net a bit further this year.

The catchment area for would-be Miss Cromers is the dozen local parishes in the patch covered by the Poppyland Partnership.

It replaces the previous long-standing criteria of having to live within a four-mile radius of Cromer parish church.

Carnival chairman Tony Shipp said it made the boundaries clearer, after previous problems in places like Thorpe Market where part of the village qualified and part did not.

The queen and attendants, who must be 17 or over, will be chosen at the Hotel de Paris on Friday, June 6 at 7.30pm. The junior attendants, aged 13-16, are picked at the Cottage function room on Tuesday, June 10 at 7pm, and the prince and princess, up to 12 years old, at the pier forecourt on Sunday, June 15 at 3pm.

Entrants this year can come from Cromer, the Runtons, Overstrand, Sidestrand, Trimingham, Aylmerton, Felbrigg, Roughton, Northrepps, Sustead, Aldborough and Hanworth.

Carnival week, which begins on Saturday, August 16, will again feature the Red Arrows on the main day, Wednesday, but with a 5pm rather than lunchtime display due to other show commitments.

It means asking floats not to arrive at the carnival ground until after

5.30pm to give organisers the chance to clear the arena area, said Mr

Shipp.

He also urged all people wanting to take part in the procession to fill in an entry form which will be in the programmes published in mid-July and downloadable from the website www.cromercarnival.co.uk