CLOWN Ellie came out on top yesterday as the best dressed bear in Town. It beat some 40 other entrants to win the Town Carnival best dressed teddy competition.

Owner Eloise Ballay, 8, dressed the bear as a clown for the day and won a selection of toys for her efforts.

‘I feel excited. I’ve won loads of things. The clown costume was my mum’s idea,’ said the Vauvert Primary School pupil.

There were also prizes for two runners-up, the cutest teddy, the brightest teddy and the most imaginative.

Every entrant was given a colouring book.

The prizes were supplied by Creasey’s and the Yess Shop, which both sponsored and judged the event.

‘It’s always fun to judge, but very hard. There are so many entrants. It’s the most popular competition in the carnival. I suppose that’s because almost every child has a teddy.

‘It’s a great week and I really hope it carries on. There’s a good atmosphere and the children love it,’ said Julie Murphy, from Creasey’s Toyshop.

‘There are visitors that come back every year for the carnival.’