IT'S that time of year again and carnival is back!

West Cumbrian carnivals are unique or, if not, they are certainly not replicated in any other place we know.

Today's photos from our archives feature two revived carnivals - events that were cancelled and then brought back to life.

Both were cancelled by much the same reasons - cost, time and a lack of volunteers to help.

But in these cases there were people committed enough to try and revive them - and they have successfully done so.

In Flimby it was the Ostle family who brought back the village carnival. The late Cyril and his wife Ann were keen participants in the carnival for many years and were called upon to judge other carnivals in the area.

When the carnival stopped, their daughter Linda Markham was determined to start it up again. This determination doubled when Lyla, her first grandchild was born. She wanted her to know all the fun and excitement that she herself had felt when riding atop one of her parents' floats.

Flimby is a children's carnival in the truest sense of the word, starting with the Flimby School's annual efforts which look like a lot of work for talented teachers and a lot of fun for the children.

It is children who make the carnivals. In Maryport we have been treated to some delightful routines from Maryport C of E Primary School.

It, too, was cancelled but Maryport was revived by a group including town councillors Billy Pegram and Linda Radcliffe.

Both Maryport and Flimby are receive some funding from Maryport Town Council.

At one time every town and little village held a carnival and many still do.

Others have fallen by the wayside with the increasing costs of building floats, a lack of time and,sometimes, even a lack of space to build and keep the floats out of the weather until carnival day.

There are still some around, however. Check them out and go and watch this wonderful West Cumbrian tradition.