Carnival's just ace in toddlers' Wonderland. .

Youngsters from the Rainbows Pre-school dressed as kings, queens, jacks and aces for the float that claimed the top overall prize at Saturday's event.

The ambitious float was one of a dozen that took part in the annual parade from the town's centre round to New Century Park.

While the rain kept some fair-weather spectators at home, it was no barrier for scores of other supporters who turned out armed with umbrellas and jackets to watch the spectacle.

The excellent White Diamonds marching band, all the way from the Isle of Wight, led the 500-strong procession along Fair Oak Road and into Sandy Lane. There was a team of baton twirlers, a small army of pirates from 1st Fair Oak Scouts and Guides and a classic motorbike carefully converted to look like an Army aeroplane. There were Australians from Fair Oak Infant School, Britney Spears, an Olympic squad from Fair Oak Junior School and lots of busy bees from the Busy Bees Pre-school.

Scout leader Ian Patrick, from the 2nd Fair Oak group, even dressed up as a Swiss referee, wearing dark glasses and carrying a white stick in support of England's last-gasp disallowed goal in the fateful Euro 2004 quarter-final game against Portugal.

While the Rainbows group scooped best in parade, the title for most imaginative float went to the Happy Days Pre-school and their octopus costumes and Under the Sea theme.

Organiser Linda Greenslade said: "Spectators were down because of the rain but we had a lot of people at the park when the weather cleared up."

RESULTS:

Most imaginative: Happy Days Pre-school as Under The Sea.

Best walking: Fair Oak Junior School as the Olympic Squad.

Best lorry: The Battle of Horton Heath Memorial Flight.

Most amusing: Alan Drinkwater as Jolly Roger.

Philip Spearey Trophy for best overall: Rainbows Pre-school as A Pack of Cards (Alice in Wonderland).

Roma Burgess Memorial Cup community award: Minnie Mouse.

For more pictures see today's Eastleigh edition of the Daily Echo.