The gloomy 1970s, with its strikes, oil shortages and power cuts, can be thanked for the revival of Ledbury Carnival, after a gap of 20 years.

The resurrected carnival of 1975 was immediately hailed as a great triumph by the 4,000 souls who attended the heartening festivities on August Bank Holiday Monday.

That the carnival took place at all was largely down to the good efforts of Ledbury Rotary Club members, who called a meeting in February of that year and soon put together a committee of 100 eager helpers.

The aim was to give local people "a day of rejoicing to shine through the gloom in crisis-ridden Britain".

Clive Hitchings, rotary club secretary and chairman of the organising committee, said at the time: "Although the arrangements have involved a lot of work, this has not presented any problem because there have been plenty of people to share it."

After two decades of going without, Ledbury was ready for its carnival again.

The comeback was spectacular. The Ledbury Reporter stated: "Everyone agreed it was the biggest and best event of its kind the town had ever seen".

Crowds lined the main streets "five deep" to see the carnival procession, as it took one hour to pass from Beggars Ash to the showground on the Ross Road.

There were more than 30 floats and vehicles led by a Royal Air Force Cadet Band and the Carnival Queen, Angela Kennard, of Munsley.

At the showground, the mayor, Coun A L Drennen, praised the organisers and thanked the townspeople for "backing them up to the hilt".

"I hope this will encourage the carnival committee to ensure that the carnival will now be reinstated as an annual event," he said.

The best float was judged to be Ledbury Cottage Hospital's hop-picking scene. "The matron was hardly recognisable as a pipe-sucking gypsy," commented the Ledbury Reporter.