A YOUTH ambassador has been chosen for the first time for Wallingford Carnival following the decision to abandon the selection of a carnival queen.

Alice Walkey, 11, a pupil at Wallingford School, will be the town’s first youth ambassador, with St John’s Primary School pupils Sammy Roy, 10, and Tegan Farquharson, 11, as her aides.

The trio will be in the procession at the carnival on Saturday and are then expected to attend a number of events in the area throughout the year.

In March, the Wallingford Carnival Committee decided to scrap its 50-year-old carnival princess contest in favour of an ambassador role based on personal merit.

In the past, girls aged seven to 11 lined up to introduce themselves to judges, who then picked a winner and two attendants. But committee members described the carnival princess tradition as “outdated” and scrapped it.

This year, schools were asked instead to nominate an ambassador based on “merit”.

Wallingford Carnival Committee treasurer Theresa Jordan, a former town councillor who lives in Wallingford, said Alice and the two aides were selected by their schools to take part in the competition, held at Wallingford School.

They were chosen on Saturday by a panel of judges.

Ms Jordan added: “The competition is now much more inclusive because boys can take part as well.

“Pupils were judged on their presentations on the subject ‘Why I love where I live’, and on personality, conduct and confidence.”

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