AS carnival returned to Bridgwater to showcase yet another year of quality and excellence from all involved, there were almost too many unforgettable moments to count.

My favourite thing about Bridgwater Carnival is the unwavering sense of positivity and community it brings to the town - nothing can ever wipe the smiles from the faces of the awe-struck spectators.

One moment which I felt particularly encompassed the spirit of carnival involved an unfortunate yet minor mishap on the Griffens CC cart, inspired by This Ole House by Shakin' Stevens.

A moving model owl became trapped on part of the cart's design, and spectators were quick to bring the issue to the onboard crew's attention.

Despite the best efforts from the nearest crew member, the owl ended up getting caught on one of the model doors, and was projected off of the cart in quite dramatic fashion.

Everyone in the audience cheered, which brought big smiles to the faces of the Griffens CC crew, who took it on the chin and saw the funny side - it was all a part of the beautiful chaos of carnival.

I witnessed two breakdowns - all the lights, animatronics, and music were completely cut from the affected carts.

In both instances, the reaction from the crowd was absolutely heart warming, as the lack of music was replaced immediately with roaring cheers and applause from spectators.

Spurred on by the overwhelming support, the onboard club members continued to sing and dance - much to the delight of the audience.

Further cheers came about when each cart was fixed impressively quickly.

About 45 minutes into the procession, a cart breakdown had caused a very short delay of around ten to 15 minutes, but many spectators believed the carnival had finished, and headed to their cars - desperate to be first in the queue to get home once the road had re-opened.

A long line of vehicles soon formed in front of the road-closure barricade, but drivers quickly regretted their decision, as a tannoy announcement stated that we had only witnessed a third of the entire procession.

Most drivers were happy to be able to enjoy more of the evening, but other facial expressions conveyed quite the opposite.

Although more of an observation than a moment, I was astonished by the onboard crew members' abilities to exude sheer elation and energy to bring justice to their club's entry.

The mental and physical resilience it must take to enthusiastically sing and dance to the same song for hours upon end is a quality possessed only by true carnivalites.

It was a sensational night as expected, and I already can't wait for Bridgwater Carnival to return to the town again next year.