EYE-catching floats were a big crowd-puller at Lockerley and Dean Carnival fete opened by one of Britain’s best-known comedians.

Hampshire-based comic Jim Davidson proved he’s can still raise a few laughs when he cracked some jokes as he encouraged people to spend money at the popular village fete.

Jim and his wife Michelle who judged the entries in Saturday’s carnival live at Stockbridge and are good friends with the organisers Lisa and Brian Shaw.

The 61-year-old who is chairman of Care after Combat urged fete-goers to support the charity which provides professional help for the well-being of war veterans and their families.

Jim, who manned the charity’s stall at the fete, explained that Care after Combat was set up to help ex-service personnel who has fallen on bad times and ended up in prison or taken to drinking alcohol since returning to civilian life.

Floats in the colourful parade included Lockerley Brownies who produced their own interpretation of characters from Lewis Carroll’s much-loved Alice in Wonderland novel.

Characters included Alice, White rabbits, the Mad Hatter and plenty of playing cards. The Brownies entry scooped the top prize in the float section.

One of the Brownies leaders Helen Walter said: “The Brownies spent two evening meetings working on the float. They are a very enthusiast bunch and they really enjoyed putting it altogether.”

Runners-up were Lockerley Rainbows whose float featured a library of all different books and the girls dressed up as their characters. Titles included The Tiger who came to Tea, Frozen and Look and Learn.

Third placed was Acorn Community Pre-school and the children’s float Alien’s Love Underpants featured lots of pants and creatures from outer space and plenty of little green men or should it be young boys and girls! Or though there were one or two parents with alien looks about them too.

In the walking section, Lockerley Beavers were on track and steamed to victory with their take on Ampfield-born the Reverend Wilbert Awdry’s Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends storybook characters.

They had the faces of the famous steam train characters including Thomas, Percy, James and Oliver from the popular storybook and TV series.

And second prize in the walking section went to puzzled looking Lockerley Guides who were armed with water pistols and were asking Where is Wally?

Attractions at the fete itself included a display by the Southern Leonberger Carting Group with their dogs.

Louise Baldwin from East Dean who has three Leonbergers – a giant lion-like dog breed that originates from Germany and were once kept on farm to pull milk carts in Bavaria and used to haul ammunition carts in the Great War – said: “I’ve had Leonbergers for 16 years.

"The kids love them when we take them to shows. There are a lot of work but worth it. They are very popular whenever we go to shows with them."

Other entertainment included traditional English fete games such as skittles splat the rat, children’s races, face painting, coconut shy, footgolf, dancing by Lockerley Primary school pupils, a display of vintage vehicles including a 1970s Devon and Cornwall police Panda car and a Grey Massey Ferguson tractor built in 1953.

And Romsey Old Cadets Carnival Show Band also performed at the fete.