Health and safety concerns have forced the organisers to change the route for Wisbech's annual spectacular – just days after Fenland Council stepped in with an eleventh hour rescue package for the colourful processions.

Instead of the floats travelling in two different directions on each parade, this year there will be a one-lap loop which doesn't include the Churchill Road dual carriageway but takes on board Victoria Road and will mean no parking for residents during the course of the day.

The organisers, the town's Round Table, have had to make the changes in the interests of health and safety and to minimise the disruption to traffic in the town.

Robert Booty, Rose Fair chairman, has been working with highways, the police and Fenland Council to ensure the popular parade goes ahead this year.

As usual, around 30 floats will assemble in Queen's Road and the parade will follow a clockwise route from Somers Road, South Brink, through the Market Place, Church Terrace, West Street, Victoria Road and back to Queen's Road.

There will still be two parades on Saturday, July 5 at 11am and 2pm and floats are expected to take a similar time to cover the shorter route.

Said Mr Booty: "After due consideration it was felt that in the interest of safety and all participants, it would be beneficial to avoid Churchill Road as part of the carnival route.

"In addition, we have found that the event's increasing popularity in recent years resulted in the old route causing restrictions on the number of floats due to the length of the parade.

"We hope that the amended format will enable even more residents and visitors to the town to line the entire route and support one of the largest carnivals in the region."

Half of this year's floats are made up of local schools and the Highland Band will be leading the parade, which has the theme of Famous Authors and Books.

The route change follows news last week of Fenland Council stepping in at the eleventh hour to save the parade by giving a cast-iron commitment to pay for a huge hike in the cost of traffic management for the event.

The new Road Traffic Act, which came into force in April, shifts responsibility for traffic management from the police to the organisers.

The estimated £3,000 bill for developing and presenting a traffic management plan was more than the event raised for charity last year.

Although the council has stepped in this year, subsequent years will mean the traffic management costs will have to be part of every organisation's community grant bid.