A new book looking back at ‘100 Years of Tenby Carnival’ will be officially launched next week to coincide with the centenary of the firefighters' big summer event.

The book became an idea of Tenby firefighter Lee Simmons going back to 2016, when he began researching the archives for photos and information on the history of the seaside resort’s carnival.

“This particular carnival in 2016 was a weather affected year with lots of rain throughout the day, so I found myself down on the harbour looking around at the crowds of people gathered as it poured down, standing under cover of a marque ready to present the prizes and looking out and thinking - these people and their families along with the many visitors year after year, have been coming along to our annual event year after year, so I wondered exactly how many, and there the journey began,” explained Lee.

“Once the dust had settled and the summer season of events had come to its conclusion, I decided to further research my appetite for an answer, heading down to the library looking through archives.

“I found that I needed to go further back so I went down to the Observer offices, and utilised the microfiche machine to spend endless hours over a number of months researching, until I found a carnival dated 1919!

“After sourcing this information I then contacted many local historic groups for any information they could add, and also of course Mark Lewis the curator at Tenby Museum.

“I brought this information back to the Fire Station and discussed with my colleagues the possibility of having an anniversary year in 2019. Then it was suggested that it would be a great idea to have a book of some sort looking back through the history of carnivals.

“How on earth am I going to produce a book I thought? Well I need some guidance and this is where I contacted print designer Andrew Lowe who then suggested a local author he knew and the the journey continued.

Lee went back to the fire station and suggested to his fellow firefighters that they ark the carnival’s centenary year, with the book to sell, with all monies raised to go to the ‘Firefighters charity’.

He then put an appeal out requesting photos from the past from the many locals and families that have been attending and taking part in the carnival procession through the town for generations, whether it was on a float or in the fancy dress walking classes.

“Photos soon started to arrive and Trevor the author now started to put the information together, and several months on, after pestering my peers and retired Fire Service personnel, nagging them to share their stories so as to not leave any stone unturned, we finally managed to get there in the end,” continued Lee.

The book costing £6.95 will be officially launched at an event at Tenby Museum and Art Gallery on Friday, August 9, but in the lead up to that, it is planned to start selling the publication from the special film night screening of Backdraft at the fire Station on Monday, in the lead up to carnival day on Wednesday, August 7, where it will also be on sale at the open day at the Fire Station.

The book will be available at Tenby Bookshop on Tudor Square after its official launch next week.