SOUTHEND Carnival organisers have announced the winners of the annual procession.

Mushroom Theatre Company, Away With The Fairies and Ramage were all crowned as the winners of the Southend Carnival procession.

Thousands of people flocked to the seafront to watch the annual colourful carnival procession in all its glory at the weekend.

Garry Lowen, carnival chief executive, said: “Away With The Fairies are unique in that they are a group of people who met through a Facebook page.

“I would never have thought that a group of people who met through Facebook would enter the parade.

“All these entries put in a special effort for the impressive impact they made on the parade.

“Rampage brought fantastic costumes and Mushroom Theatre Company brought energy to the parade.

“I want to congratulate them for winning, and of course thank them and everyone else who took part.”

Sir David Amess, MP for Southend West, took to Twitter to congratulate the organisers and groups taking part.

He tweeted: “As always, Southend Carnival was a roaring success.

“With every float looking fantastic, the MPs were given the honour of judging the contest.”

The annual event featured more than 60 floats and acts and organisers say it is one of the largest processions in the country.