NORTH Wiltshire MP James Gray was just one of the people who got soaked during a fundraiser for the Royal Wootton Bassett Carnival.

About 20 well-known people with connections to the town had water thrown over them in the High Street on Saturday to help raise money for the carnival, which takes place on Saturday, May 18.

Mr Gray said: “The carnival is very much a part of Royal Wootton Bassett. Events like this are what makes Royal Wootton Bassett different to Swindon.

“Everyone is getting into the spirit of it. I go to the carnival every year. I have done that for 17 years.”

Town crier Owen Collier took part twice because he also stood in for the town’s mayor, Mike Leighfield, who was unwell. He said: “It was cold – I had a good soaking. I think people definitely took their revenge.

“It is all for a good cause. I was asked to take part and said yes because it promotes the town and the community spirit.”

This year’s carnival will include a procession starting from Marlowe Way at 4.30pm.

Scarrott’s funfair will be operating on Showfield afterwards.

This year’s carnival queen winners were announced earlier this month. Butterfly Princesses are Courtenay Godwin and Chloe Peaker, Carnival Princess is Letisha Taperak and Carnival Queen is Anica Yousat.

Carnival committee member Jon White said: “The fundraiser has been absolutely fantastic. We are so reliant on the community to get involved and get behind the carnival.

“There are only seven of us on the committee and we have all got day jobs. We are having to come up with other ideas to actually fund the carnival day.”

It costs more than £4,000 to run the carnival, including insurance and road closure costs.

Among the people who successfully hit the target to get James Gray soaked on Saturday was eight-year-old Mia Robinson who lives in Purton.

“It was good fun seeing James Gray get wet. He looked really shocked when the water came down. I had four goes and one of them worked.”