A local newspaper has been credited with saving a popular village carnival which has been held for more than 50 years.

The annual Old Basing Carnival, which attracts thousands of people each year, was under threat of cancellation because of a lack of community support.

However the event was saved after the Basingstoke Gazette ran a front page plea from the organising committee for at least 30 more helpers.

Organisers say it is thanks to the newspaper that the event will now go ahead as planned on Saturday, June 21.

Reporter Jasmine Kelly holding the Gazette with its front page story on the carnival

Committee member Graham Merry, from Old Basing, praised reporter Jasmine Kelly, who recognised the importance of the story and the committee’s desperate situation.

“The Basingstoke Gazette plea for volunteers has made sure this year’s Old Basing and Lychpit Carnival will now go ahead on Saturday,” he said.

A team from the Gazette were among those who came forward to offer to help at the event, while reporters will be at the carnival for their annual volunteering day – a company-wide Newsquest initiative which allows staff to spend a day volunteering in the local community.

Emily Roberts, head of news at the Gazette, said it would have been a travesty had the event been cancelled.

She said: “Jasmine only started with us in March but already she is taking on important stories with passion and enthusiasm, and championing causes that are important to the community in which we work, helping to make a real difference.

“It is fantastic to hear that this valued community event can still happen thanks to the article that ran in the Gazette, ensuring that the public can come together to enjoy the carnival for another year.

“Community events are a vital part of what makes Basingstoke amazing, and it would have been a travesty if the Old Basing Carnival had been cancelled. Thankfully, people saw the plea in the Gazette and responded, proving that community spirit is still very much alive in our town.

“This is at the heart of what local news is all about and we’re proud to have been a part of this success story.”