Parade organisers announce a 16-year-old boy will be their carnival queen

Organisers of an English carnival event have called in the police following a backlash - after announcing this year's 'queen' would be a 16-year-old boy.

Ringwood Carnival bosses have now withdrawn the announcement that the youngster would be leading proceedings after publish backlash against the woke, ideological decision.

Last year, it named a 16-year-old girl as 'carnival queen', and she was paraded through the streets on a horse-drawn carriage.

Following the backlash, organisers have instead appointed the boy, named only as James, as a carnival 'ambassador' - and called in Hampshire Police to assess the viability of threats of 'disruption and abusive language'.

They have now convened a 'carnival court' made up of James, local civic heads and carnival 'princesses' from local schools - who will travel separately in the parade on September 16.

Other carnivals have been modernising titles such as 'king' and 'queen', replacing them with more inclusive terms.

The 126-year-old Whitstable Carnival dropped its king and queen titles this year, replacing them with a single 'icon' who, organisers say, will best represent the 'bonkers' spirit of the town, according to Kent Online.

And Sussex World reported in 2018 that the Hastings Carnival appointed Sophia Alexa Evans, a transgender woman, as an 'attendant' alongside a 'Sea King and Queen'.

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