by Hayley Robinson

Carnival organisers have come under fire after the procession was diverted into the path of oncoming traffic.

Entrants had just turned left out of Chalkwell Road and were heading along London Road towards the one-way system when they came face-to-face with motorists.

Stewards frantically tried to slow cars down while radio messages were relayed to the marshal responsible for ensuring traffic was stopped from exiting the one-way system at Dover Street on to West Street.

Stella Jones, who was watching the carnival with her three young sons, said: "Cars were just being told to slow down by stewards and some had to pull up on the path to let the procession past."

BRFM presenter Matthew Judd, who was also watching the carnival at the junction of Chalkwell Road and London Road, said: "I was surprised the emergency services were not called with the number of near misses of oncoming traffic.

"Children in the carnival had to contend with almost being hit by cars, lorries and vans. Vehicles had to swerve along the busy main road. Why was this not closed completely? Where were the police?"

Carnival chairman Pam Griggs said: "Yes, there was a mistake and we put our hands up to it. It was a major hiccup and the marshall in charge of that section of road has admitted his mistake.

"He should have put barriers across both exits of the road but it seems he didn't realise that cars [coming out of Dover Street] could turn right as well as left.

"It should have been sealed off to traffic in both directions.

"I understand from our chief marshall as soon as they saw traffic coming the others started shouting at him. He did eventually put the barriers across.

"Luckily nothing happened and it won't happen again.

"It's not the first time this has happened, though. It happened one year when the police were diverting the traffic and we found traffic coming up Hollybank Hill.

"The police didn't turn up on this occasion and we were told from the start they wouldn't turn up and it was down to us and the marshals to over see it all."

For pictures from the carnival, see this week's Sittingbourne News Extra and Sittingbourne Messenger,