WELLINGTON Carnival is in crisis and may not be held next year, writes Barry Knott.

Carnival chairman Sharon Collins, who lives in Ottery St Mary, is stepping down along with her entire committee, including the secretary and treasurer.

“I will make it clear at the annual meeting, which will probably be held in December, that there is no-one to take over.

“For it to go ahead next year, it would have to have committed people.

“I am also on the carnival committee at Axminster, which held its event only two weeks before Wellington.

“The events are too close for me to be involved in both. I stepped in in April

at Wellington because it would have folded.”

Saturday’s carnival at Wellington was hit by rain but Sharon said she was never going to call it off, although some carnivals elsewhere were cancelled.

“We put in too much hard work to cancel it,” she added.

“Our takings will almost certainly be down this year compared to last year. You have to ask yourself is it all worthwhile.

“I also received abusive phone calls regarding road closures and I could have done without that.”