A TV advert promoting Bridgwater Carnival will be aired this month to draw more crowds to the event.

Organisers secured funding from Arts Council England for the carnival’s first ever advert, to be aired on screens from Gloucestershire to Plymouth on October 24.

Voiced by Chris Hocking, director and trustee of Bridgwater Guy Fawkes Carnival, the advert will show clips of carts by Gremlins CC, Marketeers CC and Vagabonds CC from last year’s carnival, along with squibbing footage.

Dave Stokes, spokesman for Bridgwater Carnival, told the Mercury: “It’s the first time we’ve done it and we’re hoping it will encourage people who have not heard about the carnival to come and see it this year.

“We’ve been doing a lot of work with children and schools, so the Arts Council looked on us with favour this year and agreed to give us a publicity grant.”

The committee has also been working hard to expand its marketing strategy using Twitter and Facebook and has distributed 48,000 leaflets.

Bridgwater Mayor Graham Granter said: “I think it’s great we are advertising the carnival on national television.

“We have found people coming to watch it often don’t know much about it and this way it can be advertised to a wider audience.”

The carnival committee’s work with children was vital in securing the opportunity and this year there will be three children’s parades through the town centre.

Children have also been helping to decorate squibs and there will be a literacy competition for young people to take part in during the daytime entertainment.

Dave added: “We’ve also had a competition for children and young people to build their own carnival carts.

“We hope by getting schools involved we can secure the future of this fantastic event and maintain the carnival tradition.”

The 10 second advert will make its debut appearance on ITV on Wednesday, October 24, at 9.55am during a break in the Jeremy Kyle show.