Council leaders in Southend have pledged to help fine tune next year's carnival procession after last weekend's parade was held up by a mum and her pram.

Carnival organisers apologised today for the hold-up but said "several incidents" delayed floats from reaching Marine Parade on time.

Spokesman Chris Charles revealed today a mother with her young child in a pram was standing on the wrong side of the barriers just after the pier at the start of Marine Parade.

When she was asked to move because the pram could have been hit by a float, the mother flew into a rage and demanded everyone around her was moved back too. Mr Charles added: "One person held the procession up for five-and-half- minutes."

Lib Dem council leader Graham Longley said the council would work closely with the association. He said: "The council is working with carnival and I am sure that these sorts of problems will be looked at."

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