PERSEVERANCE proved a winning formula for the girls voted this year's Kidderminster Carnival queen and princess.

It was a dream come true for 15-year-old Rebecca Adderley as she was crowned queen on Sunday - having trodden the catwalk in previous years in both the rosebud and princess contests.

For her friend,Tammy Roberts, 13, success came in her second attempt at the princess title and after four goes at the rosebud competition.

It was the first time Rebecca's parents, Ann and Henry, had not attended the contest and she was accompanied by her boyfriend.

As soon as they heard she had won, however, the proud pair dashed to Kidderminster Town Hall to congratulate her.

Rebecca hopes to become a police officer when she leaves school.

Demi-Lee Downs, six, and seven-year-old Chloe Meese, were chosen as rosebuds for the carnival, which will be held on Saturday, June 18.

The girls will be provided with dresses for the big occasion and presented with cash prizes on the day of £75 for the queen, £30 for the princess and £10 each for the rosebuds.

Competition organiser, Ann Jones, said with 33 rosebuds, 18 princesses and 11 queens, Sunday's was one of the biggest.

"All the girls were fantastic and the judges had a very difficult job to choose the winners," she added.