TRUE community spirit has given a helping hand to preparations for this year's Huddersfield Carnival.
Designers Carl Ambrose and Matthew George create junior and senior queen costumes every year for the flamboyant event.
But this year they were struggling to find a venue to create their masterpiece - until Maureen Foster, of Dalton's Dram Community Centre stepped in.
Carl explained: "We normally build the costumes on the balcony of a block of flats where Matthew lives in Ridgeway, Dalton.
"But when Maureen noticed us on the tarmac surface close to the centre, struggling with the costume in high winds, sheoffered us a room in the centre."
Carl, of Springwood Avenue, Springwood, and Matthew have chosen healthy living as the theme of their costume designs for this year.
Their junior queen costume, which is to be worn by 13-year-old Reanne Francis, of Dalton, has been worked on since the start of this month and takes the form of a honeybee.
Sixteen-year-old Leanne Bamford, also of Dalton, is in the senior queen class and will wear a costume based on a fruit basket.
Both girls will be proudly showing off Carl and Matthew's designs at the competition at Huddersfield Town Hall on Friday.
The show, chooses the queen who will lead the procession through the town centre at the annual Huddersfield Carnival on Saturday.
Carl and Matthew work as voluntary community workers and have previously helped with the organisation of the main carnival.
Their costumes are also shown off at Leeds Carnival over August Bank Holiday.
SATURDAY'S carnival is the 21st - and it's going to be one huge birthday party.
There are a whopping 18 floats involved, as against the usual eight.
And participants are coming from as far away as London, Preston and Luton.
Organisers expect the procession - from the Hudawi Cultural Centre at Hillhouse - will take longer than usual to snake its way through the town centre, along John William Street and Westgate and then up to Greenhead Park.
But the fun starts on Friday night, with the Queens Show at Huddersfield Town Hall.
Anyone can attend and there's a small fee on the door.
There are 14 would-be queens and they'll be wearing amazing costumes, vying for the honour of leading the procession.
On Saturday the procession starts at 1pm and will take most of the afternoon to arrive at the park.
Music on the main stage in the park starts at 1.30, with Buka Africa.
Then there will be Dancing Fly, Rasta President, Harlem Gem and Soca Survivors.
The music finishes at 7pm.
But the celebrations continue at the Hudawi Centre until 4am, where soca artist The Explainer will perform.
Anyone is welcome to attend and there's an entrance charge.
