A SEARCH has been launched by Kidderminster Carnival to find a sponsor to pay for the dresses for this year's queen, princess and rosebuds to wear on their big day.

Sponsorship officer Duncan Cashmore said any help towards the bill - expected to be in excess of £100 -- would be a welcome boost.

"We rely heavily on sponsorship to offset the costs of running the carnival in order to maximise the amount we can donate to charity.

"Any help with the costs of the competition to find the queen and her entourage would be gratefully received," he said.

The 2008 queen and her entourage will be chosen during competitions staged at Kidderminster Town Hall on Sunday, April 13.

As well as cash prizes of £75 for the queen, £35 for the princess and £10 for each of the two rosebuds, they will all be taken on a shopping trip with organiser Ann Jones to choose their dresses for the carnival which they will keep.

Scores of young hopefuls are expected to take part in the contests and the lucky winners will be VIPs at the carnival on Saturday, June 21, travelling in an open-topped carriage in the street parade from the town centre to the Brinton Park showground.

The first competition, starting at 10.30am, will be to find two rosebuds, aged six to nine, followed by the search for this year's princess, aged 10 to13, and finally the judging for the queen will take place at 1.30pm.

All entrants will receive a portrait photograph and the town hall doors will open at 10am.

The bulk of the money raised at this year's carnival will go to the Shuttle/Times & News' Back on Track appeal to raise £25,000 for Kidderminster and Stourport Athletic Club and the Stourport Hockey Club to replace equipment lost in last year's arson attack on their Stourport Sports Club headquarters. A donation will also go to the special olympics gymnastics team based at Baxter College.

Organisations interested in providing sponsorship should contact carnival chairman Colin Hill on 01562 751634.