WITH the search on for Dursley Rosebuds - girls aged between four and 11 who will lead the Town Festival carnival procession on Saturday, July 10 - the Gazette has heard from Marian Whitlock, of Cam, who was a Rosebud 50 years ago.

After reading about the competition to find new Rosebuds and the plea for former Rosebuds to come forward, Marian dug out a picture of herself on the carnival float with 11 other Rosebuds plus the Cotswold Princess and her attendants. She thinks the photograph was taken in 1953 or 1954 when she was six or seven.

"Apart from being on the float, I don't really remember a lot about it," said Marian. "The main thing that sticks in my mind was the fact that I was wearing my pink party dress and had a circlet of roses in my hair."

The Dursley Rosebuds are also remembered by Joy Jellings, of North Nibley, who used to live in Dursley and work at Mawdsleys.

"I was on the carnival flat in 1951 when I was 16," she recalled. "I was too old to be a Rosebud but I was one of the Queen's attendants."

Joy said that Cordelia Ash, from Kingshill, was the Queen that year, and among the other attendants were Nancy Cuff, from Highfields.

Half-a-century later the carnival Rosebuds are being revived. Three girls will be chosen to take part in the 2004 procession.

Girls wishing to take part in the competition will have their picture printed in the Gazette and readers will be asked to vote for their favourite.

The girl receiving the most votes will receive a Gazette trophy and £50 in cash. The two runners-up will each receive a Gazette trophy and £25.

Photographs which should be head-and-shoulder only, should be sent to Rosebud Competition, Gazette, Reliance House, Long Street, Dursley, GL11 4LS to arrive no later than Monday, May 31.

The Gazette would also like to hear from original Rosebuds from the 1950s or earlier with memories of the Dursley carnival in earlier days.