HEAVY rain is the biggest fear for carnival organisers and can wreck plans which have taken many months to put in place.

We are taking a look back 25 years to a rather wet Millom carnival which went ahead but it visitor numbers were badly hit by the weather.

The Millom event was last held in 2016 when it formed the official celebration for 150 years since the founding of Millom Newtown.

This summer, organisers of Dalton carnival were forced to cancel days before the event after a period of poor weather which continued into the planned parade day.

Associated British Ports were much luckier when the sun came out for last Sunday's parade and celebrations for 150 years of Barrow's port and borough status.

The Evening Mail on Monday, July 13 in 1992 noted: “It was Carry on Regardless at Millom carnival on Saturday as gallons of rain fell from the heavens.

“Big fat rain drops the size of penny pieces failed to dampen the spirits of the hundreds of Millomites who had put in hours of work for the town’s annual parade.

“The 30 or so floats toured the town at a snail’s pace, collecting £664 from generous spectators, before ending up at the Millom rugby ground.

“Millom and District Round Table and Ladies Circle hope to be able to donate more than last year’s total of £3,000 to local charities with the profits.”

Carnival organiser Robert Slack said: “We are amazed by the support from the town – the floats, the children who have come along and the businesses who have helped.

“But we have been desperately disappointed by the weather.

“If the sun had been shining there would have been 10 times the number of people.”

The winning float was from Oxford Street and had an Olympics theme, including 6,000 hand-made paper flowers.