THIS year’s Bridport Carnival may have no crowned princess.

There have been no entries at all for the annual competition which is due to be held on Sunday, June 28 in Bridport’s Conservative Club at 2pm.

Carnival committee chairman Shaun Fox said: “If we don’t get any entries then we will have to cancel it and there won’t be a Carnival Princess this year, it is as simple as that.

“It would be a great shame if that happened. It is a great opportunity for someone to represent their town and have fun at the same time.”

The princess and her entourage take pride of place in the grand procession on Saturday, August 15 and at the torchlight procession the next day. The princess can also attend as many events as she likes in the packed programme of events leading up to carnival weekend.

The princess competition has taken many forms over the years.

At one time readers of the Bridport News were able to vote after the candidates featured in the pages of the news.

Hopeful contestants had to say why they wanted to represent their town.

There was also a time when judges decided the winner at a disco held in the Conservative Club before it was decided to make the selection process to a changed to a Bridport’s Got Talent-style audition.

Mr Fox added: “It may be that we have to re-think the competition again and go back to something simpler. Perhaps it is too restrictive for those people who don’t want to or can’t get up in front of three judges and sing or dance.”

The Rev Andrew Evans has helped judge the competition in the last few years with Cllr, now mayor, Sandra Brown.

He said that although the competition was an excellent way for youngsters to gain confidence in themselves it might be worth choosing someone on the basis of their work for charity or other criteria than singing.

Entries need to be in the Bridport & Lyme Regis News office no later than noon on Friday, June 26. Entries need to include name, age, address and phone number. There are usually three age categories to enter up to 16.