SCHOOLS are throwing their weight behind this year's Devizes Carnival which was given a change of date in a bid to get more young people involved.

This year's carnival procession will be held on July 13 instead of the first weekend in September and organiser Loz Samuels has been delighted by the response.

She said: "We realised last year that we had to make some changes to get more groups taking part in the carnival parade. We decided to move it forward so it would be in term time and the response has been fantastic.

"We are carrying out school workshops reflecting our theme of Through The Ages and they are very popular."

Wansdyke School, Trinity, Five Lanes, Rowde, and Southbroom St James are all taking part and other workshops will be held at Wiltshire Museum in Devizes nearer the time for families and other groups.

Artist Abi Kennedy is leading the workshops that have been funded by Devizes Area Board.

Devizes School is taking part and creating its own entry.

This year's parade will also have big support in more ways than one thanks to a giant Neanderthal woman affectionately known as Beryl and her baby Woolly Mammoth.

The giants made their first appearance at Amesbury Carnival at the weekend and were funded by the Arts Council and Bloor Homes.

Ms Samuels the artistic director of Devizes Outdoor Celebratory Arts said: "DOCA was brought in to the Amesbury Carnival as a separate project but it means we are able to bring the giants to Devizes at a hugely subsidised rate."

The carnival procession will line up as usual on The Green for judging before heading on a route around the town at 6pm.

Ms Samuels said that despite social media rumours that Jennings Fair would be missing from the carnival this year they will be in place from July 12 to 14. She said: The fair is bigger than before. There are a lot of rumours on social media that they are not coming which isn't true."