DORCHESTER’S reigning carnival queen is calling on women in the county town to step forward and bid to become her successor.

The three semi-finalists for this year’s summer extravaganza will be chosen at Dorchester’s carnival queen competition this Thursday at the Kings Arms in High West Street.

2008 queen Shelley Walton is advising all those considering entering the contest to cast aside any reservations and give it a shot.

She said: “It’s a really fun evening and for me it was the start of an amazing year attending events and helping to raise lots of money for local charities and good causes.

“I’ve also met some wonderful people and made lots of new friends.

“So if you’re thinking of applying then do so as you will have lots of fun and become ambassador of Dorchester for a whole year. If I could, I would apply again.”

This year’s carnival queen competition is being organised by local fundraising group Ellipse and is open to all women aged 18 or over who live in the DT1 or DT2 postcode areas.

Carnival queen hopefuls can pick up an application form from the Kings Arms or the tourist information centre in Antelope Walk. They can also be downloaded from the Dorchester Carnival website www.dorchestercarnival.co.uk.

The judging night will begin at 7pm, with contestants given the chance to parade an outfit that reflects an interest, hobby or activity they pursue and then an eveningwear outfit of their choice.

Three semi-finalists will be chosen from the night and go forward to a public vote to choose the queen for the 2009 Dorchester Carnival, which runs from June 18 to June 20.