SCHOOLS have been awarded nearly £10,000 towards setting up a vibrant Mardi Gras Parade celebrating the south coast’s history.

The Magna Carta Mardi Gras is a colourful action-packed event taking place on the Isle of Wight.

It marks 800 years since the sealing of the Magna Carta and 750 years since the Simon de Montfort Parliament.

Now the Heritage Lottery Fund has released a £9,900 grant to ten of the 25 schools involved in the celebrations on the Island.

The cash has been awarded to the New Carnival Company which is supporting schools on projects to help create spectacular carnival costumes for the parade.

These include themed outfits based on the suffragette movement, the peasants’ revolt, freedom of the press and free speech.

Schools benefiting are Queensgate Primary School, Holy Cross Primary School, Cowes Oakfield School, Ryde Junior School and St George’s Special School.

The work will form part of an exhibition and archive after the event.

New Carnival Company creative director Frankie Goldspink said: “The grant will help us to create a carnival parade which is spectacular, intelligent, relevant and thought provoking.”

The parade takes place on Saturday, June 27, in Ryde.