ORGANISERS are predicting this weekend's Bicester carnival will be the the best yet and are keeping their fingers crossed the weather holds out.

Thousands of people from across the area are expected to take to the streets to see this year's Caribbean-themed event.

The ninth annual carnival starts with the wheelie-bin race at 11am on Sunday.

Dozens of people will climb into blue, green and brown wheelie-bins to race around the town's pubs in a modern take on the traditional pram race. Teams of four will tackle three different routes - either eight, 12, or 16 pubs - taking it in turns to push each other in bins.

At the same time, about 12 floats will begin their procession from Cooper School in Churchill Road, down Buckingham Road, down North Street, into Sheep Street and on to the Market Square, up Church Street, into Kings End, and then into Oxford Road sports ground where the rest of the fun will begin.

Pauline Liddington, Mayor of Bicester, said: "This is a big annual event for the town. I am looking forward to the weather being good.

"I think it will be a great day for the people of Bicester who are bound to enjoy themselves."

Adults, children, and families will make their way to the sports ground to enjoy a range of attractions including Quack Pack Ducks - which will see a Border Collie rounding up the ducks into a pen; Flare Dance Studio; Birds of Prey Display; the Strawberry Fayre Majorettes; and Sword and Samba dancing accompanied by a steel band.

There will be a prize-giving ceremony for the wheelie-bin race; and other attractions include an ice cream van, bouncy castle, and fun fair - plus many local charities will be setting up stalls to help raise funds.

Leader of the town council Debbie Pickford* said: "I reignited the carnival because I think a town that does not have a carnival is a very sad town.

"This is something for the whole of Bicester. Charities, Brownies, Girl Guides, and other organisations can set up stalls and advertise what they do as well as raise money and get new recruits.

"It is a day for Bicester to get together - that is the ethos of it."

All money raised will be split between the mayor's chosen three charities of Marie Curie Cancer Care, the Girl Guides unit, the Air Training Corps and Service by Emergency Volunteer Riders.