ON YOUR marks, get set – rock!

The starting pistol has been fired on this year's rock 'n' roll-themed Wantage Carnival.

Alongside the helter skelter and 'Miami swing', local rock bands with names like Growler, Vinyl Daze and The 4 Canals will thrash it out on the main stage.

The fifth annual carnival, organised by Ray Collins, on Sunday, June 11, will kick off at 11am and officially opens with the annual fancy-dress parade, this year featuring up to 100 members of Oxfordshire rock choirs.

Mr Collins, who manages Peter Ledbury electricals on Grove Street, said: "We say it's the biggest family fun day of the year in Wantage.

"We normally get about 5,000 people but if we have weather like we had this weekend we could easily get 6,000 or more.

"Last year we raised about £4,000 and we're hoping to beat that this year."

The money raised all goes to the Ray Collins Charitable Trust, which the charity champion founded last year to support local people and groups.

This year's carnival, which runs until 7pm, will also feature the usual fairground rides including 'bunjee trampolines' and a ghost house.

More than 20 market stalls are planned alongside food stalls, face painting and glitter tattoos.

For the grown-up party-goers there will be a licensed bar and Wantage's favourite exotic pet shop Lenny's Lizards is booked to bring some rock 'n' roll reptiles.

The Sweatbox youth club will host a chill-out area where teenagers can charge phones and chat with youth workers about anything on their minds, including mental health.

Rockers of all ages are invited to enter the fancy dress competition with cash prizes up for grabs.

Mr Collins added: "People have the chance to win some money which they can then spend at the carnival so it goes to local good causes."

The Springfield Road resident rebooted the long-lost Wantage Carnival in 2013 after a gap of 25 years.

Having grown up with the town tradition when he was young, he revived the revelry to raise money for charity.

Mayor of Wantage Steve Trinder said: "It's great that Ray and his team got the carnival going again and have been able to continue with it.

"I remember it from when I was a youngster and I still treasure those memories.

"It's definitely become one of the biggest events in the town calendar and it's an integral piece of Wantage fundraising and fun."

• The Ray Collins Charitable Trust will hold its annual Easter Lunch for the lonely at Wantage Health and Wellbeing Centre on Garston Lane this Sunday from 12pm to 2pm.